But the commission attached an important condition. The plan will concern itself with cumulative impacts affecting public health and safety. For example, provision will be made to monitor and safeguard residents' domestic water supplies. The San Juan Citizens Alliance claims development impacts and disruptions of surrounding residential life have never been handled in a satisfactory manner. Many surface owners, even some who benefit economically because they own some of the mineral rights that run with their land, complain about industry eyesores, noise, dust and a lack of privacy.
Operators typically can access the wells and lines day or night, seven days a week.
La Plata County is the state's leading producer of natural gas. Most of the gas produced here is the controversial coal-bed methane. This is natural gas extracted from coal seams after vast quantities of water are pumped out of the coals. Many residents and officials suspect dewatering contributes to gas seeps into aquifers, water wells, soils and air. Industry disputes that.