The Colorado Oil & Gas Association took legal action Tuesday against voter approved measures that place restrictions on hydraulic fracturing in Lafayette and Fort Collins. While Lafayette anti-fracking group East Boulder County United was surprised by the move, it says it wasn鈥檛 unexpected.
In a statement released by COGA, President Tisha Schuller called groups like 鈥榚xtremists鈥� who used 鈥榝ear and misinformation to lure cities into passing bans鈥� on Nov. 5. Cliff Willmeng, a representative for East Boulder County United says those are the words of an industry that鈥檚 seeing a slip in credibility.
鈥淭hey have lost every single democratic election around their industry and how it affects communities,鈥� Willmeng said. 鈥淣aturally they are going to resort to the least common denominator which is hoping corporate lawyers can make this determination for the entire Front Range of Colorado.鈥�
The group has been preparing for a lawsuit even before the 2013 election was finalized. , Merrily Mazza spokesperson for the group and a newly elected Lafayette city councilor said it was always in the back of her mind.
鈥淎ny city who makes a move in this direction is going to be sued,鈥� Mazza said. 鈥淪o you have to go into this with the idea that this is going to happen. You have to publicize it to people so they know what the threat is, because that鈥檚 basically where they're coming at us.鈥�

Cliff Willmeng says East Boulder County United will begin to form a defense against the lawsuit in the coming days.
鈥淸What] we have to do is prepare a defense here that really outlines the principle here of whether or not we have a democracy left in Colorado at all,鈥� Willmeng said. 鈥淎nd so the next steps we鈥檙e going to be taking will be in both legal defense and all sorts of public and community organizing.鈥�
Boulder and Fort Collins also approved measures that place an extended moratorium or ban fracking outright. In Broomfield, a Tuesday night recount showed the city's fracking moratorium was approved by a .
Despite the success , a recent found that voters in Colorado supported the practice 51 鈥� 34 percent, something COGA President Tisha Schuler noted in a written statement.
鈥淩ecent polls show that Coloradans overwhelmingly support oil and gas development, including hydraulic fracturing鈥� Schuller said. 鈥淥il and gas development is critical to our state's economy, energy future, and business environment. We will continue mobilizing and educating our neighbors on the safety and importance of Colorado oil and gas development.鈥�
Willmeng says his group sees the voter approved ban as democracy in action.
鈥淭his is much bigger then hydraulic fracturing,鈥� Willmeng said. 鈥淲e consider this a civil rights issue.鈥�