Neighbors open another front in Colorado oil and gas battle

DENVER (AP) — Frustrated residents of a Denver suburb say state law is forcing them to participate in an oil and gas drilling project against their wishes, so they launched legal challenges with potentially significant consequences for the industry.

They have a chance this week to ask state regulators to block multiple wells planned near homes in the city of Broomfield.

A group called the Wildgrass Oil and Gas Committee says the wells are dangerously close to their homes, although they would be beyond the setback required by state regulators.

They also argue that state laws is forcing residents who own the mineral rights under their property to lease or sell them through a process called forced pooling.

They’ve asked a judge to rule the law unconstitutional.