Capitol Coverage: Flow Line Mapping Clears First Committee

A last-minute bill to require oil and gas companies to map information on all of their flow lines and gathering lines is making its way through the statehouse. As Bente Birkeland reports, it’s in response to a house explosion that killed two people in Firestone.

It’s been determined that a severed flow line near the property was leaking methane and other gases. Democratic Sponsor Mike Foote of Lafayette says he wants to help the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the industry… “We just want to make sure the commission has the authority to come up with rules that will lead to mapping with flow lines so the public can know where these are, and homebuilders and local governments. ”

Governor John Hickenlooper has not weighed in on the specific bill, but says he supports the concept. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want to know where those lines are. I’m not compelled that it has to be the state that controls that.”

The measure cleared its first committee, but the industry says it’s redundant.  With so little time left this session Hickenlooper said getting a bill through in such short order would be hard to imagine.