COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: OIL AND GAS SITING, HOUSING CHOICES, AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Colorado School Of Mines, Golden CO

Investigators

Abstract

All people deserve equal protection from environmental risks and equal opportunities to participate in decision making processes that affect local environmental and health outcomes. This project assesses the extent to which these principles are being met in the context of oil and gas development in Colorado. The boom in unconventional oil and gas (O&G) development in Colorado, and many other states, has yielded both benefits and risks for communities. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (aka “fracking” or “fracing”) has changed the geography of US energy production by increasing the intensity of extractive activities and infrastructure and bringing them closer to more people than ever before. This project assesses whether or not the distribution of risks and benefits from O&G development has been equitable, and why (or why not). In April 2019, public concern over these issues led to policy changes in Colorado that increased local involvement with O&G decisions. This research project examines the implications of this policy innovation and draws lessons for other states considering similar legislation. As the U.S. energy landscape changes and debates on this issue continue across the country, protecting the nation’s health requires understanding how communities are affected and who gets to take part in the decisions surrounding O&G development. Our team is committed to maximizing the broader academic and policy impacts of our research through collaborative relationships with other researchers, local and state-level decision makers, and members of the public. This project makes conceptual, methodological, and empirical contributions to the study of patterns and processes in the context of O&G development. The conceptual framework demonstrates how patterns of proximity to O&G development result from decision and policy processes involving many actors at varying scales. The research team uses this framework to address the following questions: 1) Are socially disadvantaged groups more likely to be closer to O&G development? 2) Are there disparities in information about O&G risks and benefits between socially advantaged and disadvantaged groups that could affect choices about housing and policy participation? 3) Does increased local involvement in energy development lead to improved processes and policy outcomes? To answer the first question, the team analyzes large geospatial data sets to assess the distribution of O&G impacts, triangulating between multiple data sets and analyses at different levels of spatial aggregation to assess how these methodological choices affect results. The second question is addressed using a household survey in purposefully selected Colorado case study sites. The project investigates the third question with a mixed-methods analysis of local decision maker surveys, policy documents,and interviews focusing specifically on policy and rule-making changes following the April 2019 passage of SB-181, which increased local involvement in O&G activities. This policy shift creates a natural experiment to examine effects on stakeholder engagement and outcomes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.