News & Alerts
May 23, 2023 COGCC renamed the “Energy & Carbon Management Commission” effective July 1, 2023
On May 22, 2023, Governor Polis signed SB23-285 into law which renames the COGCC to the “Energy & Carbon Management Commission” or “ECMC” effective July 1, 2023. The new law also expands the Commission’s regulatory authority to include a broader scope of energy and carbon management areas beyond oil and gas, including deep geothermal and underground natural gas storage. Specifically, the Commission is granted the exclusive authority to regulate deep geothermal operations for the exploration for or production of an allocated geothermal resource or a geothermal resource that is deeper than 2,500 feet below the surface. Prior to the adoption of the current law operators of geothermal fluid had to obtain a permit from the state engineer.