For Immediate Release:

Lafayette Citizens Launch Class Action Lawsuit to Protect Community Rights Ban on Fracking

Contact:

Cliff Willmeng 303 478 6613

East Boulder County United: EastBoCoUnited@gmail.com

Lafayette citizens have filed a class action lawsuit against the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, the State of Colorado, and Colorado Governor Hickenlooper, requesting immediate enforcement of the Lafayette Community Rights Amendment to Ban Fracking. The Community Rights Amendment was enacted in November of 2013 by a 60% majority of Lafayette voters, who asserted their rights to protect the health, welfare, and safety of Lafayette residents. It is the position of the Lafayette citizens that the oil and gas industry, aided by Governor Hickenlooper and the State of Colorado, interferes with those fundamental rights, that are described and protected by the charter amendment and the Colorado and United States Constitutions.

Following the passage of the Lafayette Community Rights Amendment, the city of Lafayette was sued by the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, who claims that their powers under the Colorado Oil and Gas Act are superior to the democratic will of Lafayette people, and that do not recognize people’s right to self determination. The local organization, writing and successfully campaigning for the Lafayette Community Rights Amendment, East Boulder County United, attempted to join that lawsuit. They were rejected from becoming part of that lawsuit after the court determined that arguments about people’s fundamental rights were extrinsic to that court case.

Long time Lafayette resident and East Boulder County United member Ann Griffin stated, “I stand with the people of Lafayette who voiced their support for this charter amendment by an overwhelming majority. What is democracy without this voice?”. Ann worked on the campaign for enactment of the Lafayette Community Rights Amendment, and currently enjoys its provisions detailing her right to clean air and water, the right to self-determination, and the right to be free from chemical trespass. In a city that neighbors the thousands of oil and gas wells in Weld County, the Community Rights Amendment is what stands between a massive industrialization of her community and the preservation of quality of life and public safety.

“Lafayette will take enforcement action on their fundamental rights, which are being directly threatened by the Colorado Oil and Gas Association”, said Cliff Willmeng, registered nurse, Lafayette resident and father of two. “We had to take action to protect this community, its families and property, and will continue to establish our rights to health, safety and welfare. These are not subordinate to corporate privilege, and they are not the property of the Governor or the State of Colorado to either give away or to overrule.”

Cliff Willmeng is also a proponent on ballot initiative 75, the Colorado Community Rights Amendment, The Amendment, which is in its signature gathering phase, will clarify Colorado’s community’s right to local self government, and a community’s authority to protect its fundamental rights from corporate and industrial interference.