A new study has raised fresh concerns about the safety of gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, concluding that fracking chemicals injected into the ground could migrate toward drinking water supplies far more quickly than experts have previously predicted.

Pursuing oil shale production in the face of increasing water demands and climate change concerns is ill-advised, a new report from an environmental group here warns. Colorado’s population is projected to swell by 57 percent over the next 30 years while its next-door neighbor, Utah, could see a 105 percent population spike, the Western Resource Advocates report notes.

While Colorado could be looking at supplying water for energy exploration on the Eastern Plains, some are beginning to look at selling water produced from oil and gas wells. STW Resources of Midland, Texas, Thursday announced an oil-field water processing pilot plant in the Permian Basin in West Texas.

Colorado oil and gas companies are preparing to launch one of the nation’s first statewide voluntary groundwater monitoring programs. The industry is hoping that the tests beginning Nov. 1 will show the public that oil and gas operations don’t pollute groundwater.

A gas producer doesn’t need a water right to withdraw the nontributary ground water beneath your property; a well permit works just fine. Is a producer taking your private property when it withdraws the nontributary ground water beneath your property without your consent?

As the oil and gas industry waits for natural gas prices to rebound, area conservation groups want to ensure the next boom won’t be an environmental bust. This week, the San Juan Public Lands Center released a draft environmental impact statement on what is expected to be the next hot spot for oil and gas development in Southwest Colorado.

According to a recent Durango Herald article, Judge Gregory Lyman tossed out several gas companies’ applications for water rights in a ruling that could strengthen the hands of landowners in negotiations with drillers. Judge Lyman’s ruling is the latest development in a long struggle concerning water rights and gas drilling that began in 2007.

A new scientific study conducted by researchers at Duke University for the first time shows drinking water wells closer to natural gas drilling activity contain higher levels of flammable methane gas that the federal government says could require “hazard mitigation” action.