Oil and gas industry lobbyists are maneuvering to block Coloradans who live near drill sites from talking about their experiences during a rule-making hearing next week.

Colorado Oil and Gas Association and Colorado Petroleum Association legal motions argue that state laws and procedural rules bar state commissioners from hearing written or oral testimony from the residents because it would be improper, “abusive and harassing” or irrelevant.

State legal advisers to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Friday evening did not immediately make a decision. Conservation groups called on Gov. John Hickenlooper to let residents testify. Later Friday, the Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Association of Homebuilders and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association filed similar motions to block residents.

“Where oil and gas development has occurred, we have seen compromised systems and human error resulting in injury, death, loss of quality of life and land values, and pollution (of) our water air and soil,” Garfield County resident Tresi Houpt said in her written testimony.

Houpt formerly served as a state oil and gas commissioner and as a county commissioner.

As county commissioner, she received persuasive evidence that residents near oil and gas operations developed health problems and that air, land and water deteriorated, Houpt said. Several studies documented problems, she said, only to be challenged by the industry.

The industry effort to block testimony “indicates to me they have a concern that some valid arguments will be made,” she said Friday. “We know it is heavy industrial activity, that there are dangerous chemicals used. Although there’s not scientific data in place, practically speaking we know peoples’ lives have been impacted tremendously.”

Industry objections “are made in bad faith. Every impacted person should have the opportunity to speak,” she said. “And we need to make a greater effort in collecting more-robust data.”

Houpt and a dozen or so others plan to travel to the hearing from their homes in western Colorado, where drilling was intense for years before expanding to Colorado’s heavily populated Front Range.

Residents’ prepared testimony says oil and gas operations have hurt their health with fumes causing nausea, burning eyes and coughing. They say dust and noise from drilling has disrupted their lives.

“Nobody wants to be here. It’s dangerous, not just to the animals but to people,” Kaethe Williams said.

She said company officials sometimes advise residents to leave their homes for a few hours. “I worry about the air and the water. They bring in silicone sand used for fracking. It is in the air all the time. We are breathing that.”

Such testimony could bring resident views more to the attention of COGCC commissioners who are charged with promoting the oil and gas industry while also protecting public health and the environment.

State staffers already have crafted new rules aimed at protecting water and restricting oil and gas drilling near homes — matters deferred the last time Colorado set rules for the industry.

The nine commissioners are set to vote next week on those rules after what they have said should be succinct testimony from industry and other groups.

Lawyers representing residents filed a response arguing that COGCC rules give residents the right to testify and that commissioners making rules can hear an array of evidence broader than what would be allowed in a court.

Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700, twitter.com/finleybruce or bfinley@denverpost.com