The way has now been cleared for the development of two dozen oil and gas wells near the Aurora Reservoir in Colorado.
Members of the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, in a close 3 to 2 vote, have given their approval to the project which will be spearheaded by the independent oil and gas exploration company SM Energy, headquartered in Denver.
The project, which will see exploration activity in an area located less than one mile from a growing suburb, beach, and ranch, was strongly opposed by nearby neighbors who raised concerns regarding the impact on drinking water.
A group called Save the Aurora Reservoir has argued that the project at its proposed site “is not the best option to protect our health, safety, and wildlife.”
Discussions and sometimes heated public meetings regarding the proposal have been ongoing for months, with the company at one point agreeing to reduce an original 32 wells proposal to the current 24.
The approval of the commission means that SM Energy will soon begin pre-production work, with the actual drilling beginning later this year.
SM Energy bills itself as company “with a long-standing, principled approach to doing business ethically and sustainably.”
April 23, 2026
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
