Massive Oil & Gas Project Near Aurora Reservoir Sparks Strong Outcry From Local Nonprofit and Residents

Proposed Fracking Site Draws Record-Breaking 1,500 Public Comments in Arapahoe County

AURORA, Colo., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Save The Aurora Reservoir (STAR), a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and thousands of community members, are sounding the alarm over a proposed oil and gas development that could become one of Colorado's largest residential fracking sites. If approved, the State Sunlight-Long well pad would be located next to one of Aurora's primary drinking water sources and recreation areas, Aurora Reservoir, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Arapahoe County recently concluded a two-week public comment period for the Sunlight-Long site, which drew responses from approximately 1,500 concerned residents. By STAR's estimations from publicly available data, this is by far the largest number of public comments on any oil and gas application considered by Arapahoe County, and perhaps the most in the state's history. Public objections have focused on potential air and water pollution, extreme wildfire risk, noise and light disturbances, critical wildlife disruption, and the strain on Colorado water resources.

"This isn't just an environmental issue—it's a public health emergency," said Randy Willard, STAR president and spokesperson. "Thousands of families could be exposed to long-term risks, and we're asking Arapahoe County to hit pause before irreversible harm is done."

The proposed 35.21-acre Sunlight-Long site—roughly the size of a large shopping mall—would be operated by Civitas Resources. It would sit just 3,000 feet from homes and less than a mile from Aurora Reservoir. The plan includes up to 32 wells, with horizontal drilling extending beneath the reservoir, thousands of homes, schools, and community facilities.

While Arapahoe County appears ready to grant Sunlight-Long an exception to its own 1-mile reservoir setback requirement if certain site conditions are met, STAR asserts that the county has not provided sufficient evidence for the well pad location to qualify for this leniency. In fact, application materials released to the public show the entire well pad at a higher elevation than Aurora Reservoir, leading to possible contaminant flow towards the reservoir.

Additionally, access roads and pipelines would come within 500 feet of the reservoir's edge. This proximity may expose the reservoir boundary to any materials being transported, including potentially toxic or radioactive chemicals (often undisclosed due to proprietary reasons), oil, natural gas, and contaminated water.

STAR has requested a formal hearing with Arapahoe County, highlighting discrepancies in Civitas' application and citing new research from the CU School of Public Health. The research details elevated health risks within 3-8 miles of fracking sites, including an aggressive form of leukemia, with pregnant individuals and children being especially vulnerable.

Despite the best efforts and preparations of oil and gas operators, leaks and spills cannot be fully avoided. On April 6, 2025, the community of Galeton in Weld County, Colorado was forced to issue an emergency evacuation order for a half-mile radius and close its elementary school due a possible loss of containment from a spill or leak at a nearby oil and gas facility.

"We're not against energy development—we're against reckless pad placement and clear threats to our water and public health," Willard emphasized. "There are smarter, safer ways to meet energy goals without putting water, health, and safety on the line. In many cases, viable alternative locations can achieve similar results for operators." 

The Sunlight-Long pad is the first project under Civitas' larger Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP) to come up for review by Arapahoe County's Director of Public Works and Development. If approved, the project must still pass Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) approval before any drilling can begin.

The Lowry Ranch CAP may create additional problems for the state, including compounding the Denver Metropolitan/North Front Range's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) status of "severe nonattainment" for ozone pollution, as well as its proximity to the Lowry Landfill Superfund Site. In 2024, the EPA urged the ECMC to implement "preventative and conservative measures" to protect the site's containment systems. While Civitas agreed not to drill beneath the Superfund site, it has declined to adopt the EPA's recommendation to establish a protective buffer zone within the CAP. 

About STAR
Save The Aurora Reservoir (STAR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the Aurora Reservoir and its surrounding communities.

For nearly three years, STAR has advocated for responsible energy development across the Lowry Ranch area in southwest Arapahoe County. The volunteer-led nonprofit has raised public awareness about several research-backed concerns related to Civitas Resources' Lowry Ranch Comprehensive Area Plan (CAP), which aims to develop multiple large well pads near the growing suburban community of Southeast Aurora. Their concerns include significant threats to public health, water, the local ecosystem, and the structural integrity of the nearby Lowry Landfill Superfund Site.

Learn more about its mission at savetheaurorareservoir.org.

Media Contact:
Randy Willard
393101@email4pr.com
(303) 641-2216

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