In response to a fatal explosion of a home in Firestone, Democratic legislators are pushing a bill that would require oil and gas companies to inform the state where their pipelines are located and for the state to create an online mapping database for the public.

The bill cleared the House State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee on Friday on a 6-3 vote. If it secures final approval from the full House, it could face opposition in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Oil and gas industry groups had expressed opposition.

Gov. John Hickenlooper earlier this week backed the idea of mapping, saying it made sense for homeowners to know how close their homes are to pipelines. On Wednesday, Hickenlooper ordered inspections of all flow lines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings. Lines not in use also must be properly marked and capped, according to the order, and any abandoned lines must be cut 3 feet below the surface and sealed.

House Bill 17-1372 is co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Foote, a Democrat from Lafayette, and Rep. Steve Lebsock, a Democrat from Thornton. They had asked Rep. Lori Saine, a Republican from Firestone, to become a sponsor and she declined to do so.

“Since Tuesday, we’ve certainly heard about a lack of knowledge about flow-line locations and most people are on board that the public should know about that,” Foote said in an interview. “The tragedy in Firestone did bring that to light, and we just want to make sure we get it right.”

Saine said the two Democratic legislators were using a tragedy to engage in political grandstanding. She said she feared the legislation could end up interfering with Hickenlooper’s order for industry to inspect their pipelines within 1,000 feet of occupied buildings.

“My daughter goes to school within 1,000 feet of where the explosion occurred,” Saine said. “And I think she’s safe. This is an isolated incident. It had some human error. Doing this in the last four days of session without checking with anyone in the community is just politicizing a tragedy.”

She added: “It doesn’t help me. It doesn’t help my community or help the grieving family. If you put anything new in the situation it adds a layer of complexity and can stop everything instead of going forward with what the governor has already put in place.”

MAP: Every oil and gas well in the state of Colorado

Dan Haley, president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said the industry is concerned because the legislation requires statewide mapping of pipelines regulated by different agencies, which could create “significant conflict.” There is not enough time before the end of the legislative session to fully vet the issues, he said.

“We have many questions and a need for clarification on the jurisdiction issue on these things,” Haley testified during the committee hearing. “I think this is one of the most important discussions we need in the coming weeks and months.”

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in the state, has said it does not know the locations of all the industry pipelines that carry oil and gas and other processing waste from wells to tanks and other equipment. Commission officials also have said they leave it up to local jurisdictions to decide where development can occur in proximity to pipelines.

“It should be a bipartisan issue to keep our communities safe,” Lebsock said, adding he hopes Republicans will join the Democrats in pushing the pipeline disclosure bill.

The bill would require the COGCC to devise rules for creating a statewide map of oil and gas flow lines and also gathering lines.

The pipeline bill is in response to a fatal home explosion that killed Mike Martinez and Joey Irwin, and left Erin Martinez traumatically burned.

Dennis Herrera, Special to The Denver Post A home explosion in Firestone Monday, April 17, 2017 killed two and sent two people to the hospital.

Dennis Herrera, Special to The Denver Post A home explosion in Firestone Monday, April 17, 2017 killed two and sent two people to the hospital.

Dennis Herrera, Special to The Denver Post A home explosion in Firestone on April 17, 2017 killed two men. On Monday, the COGCC levied an $18.25 million on Kerr McGee, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum, for its role in the incident.



Dennis Herrera, Special to The Denver Post A home explosion in Firestone Monday, April 17, 2017 killed two and sent two people to the hospital. Dennis Herrera/ Special to The Denver Post

John Leyba, The Denver Post A couple watch the house next door to them get extinguished by Frederick-Firestone FD after a report of a house explosion on Twilight Ave on April 17, 2017 in Firestone. There was some damage to their home during the incident. There was a report of on person taken to the hospital.

John Leyba, The Denver Post Frederick-Firestone FD extinguish whats left of a house after a report of a house explosion on Twilight Ave on April 17, 2017 in Firestone. There was a report of on person taken to the hospital.



John Leyba, The Denver Post Frederick-Firestone FD extinguish whats left of a house after a report of a house explosion on Twilight Ave on April 17, 2017 in Firestone. There was a report of on person taken to the hospital.

RJ Sangosti, Denver Post file A home at 6312 Twilight Ave. in Firestone was destroyed April 17, 2017, by an explosion that was linked to gas seeping into the home from a cut-off underground pipeline.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Crews investigate a fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone. Anadarko Petroleum plans to shut down 3,000 wells in northeastern Colorado after the fatal explosion.



RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Heather Sawlidi, with her son Sebastian, 1, stands outside her home five houses down from a fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone. Sawlidi is still scared and upset over the explosion. "It is hard to make my kids feel safe after something like this happens" said, Sawlidi. Anadarko Petroleum plans to shut down 3,000 wells in northeastern Colorado after the fatal explosion.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Crews investigate a fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone. Anadarko Petroleum plans to shut down 3,000 wells in northeastern Colorado after the fatal explosion.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post A man working for Colorado Oil and Gas Commission runs test outside a fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone. Anadarko Petroleum plans to shut down 3,000 wells in northeastern Colorado after the fatal explosion.



RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Crews investigate the site of the house explosion that killed two men and severely injured a woman in Firestone on April 27, 2017.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post A gas well is covered by tan fencing is less than 200 feet from a home where crews continue to investigate a fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone. Anadarko Petroleum plans to shut down 3,000 wells in northeastern Colorado after the fatal explosion.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Several gas wells are near homes in the Oak Meadows subdivision where there was a recent fatal house explosion on April 27, 2017 in Firestone.



DENVER, CO - APRIL 27: Matt Lepore, executive director of Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, left, addresses members of the media during a press conference at their headquarters on April 27, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. Lepore was addressing the recent house explosion in Firestone that killed 2 people and severely injured a third. There is an ongoing investigation as to the cause of the explosion that completely leveled the house. Next to Lepore is Bob Randall, executive director of Colorado Department of Natural Resources at right. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

Joe Amon, The Denver Post Fire Chief Ted Poszywak speaking during a press conference addressing the results of investigation into the origin and cause of April 17th home explosion in firestone at the Frederick-Firestone F.P.D Business and Education Center May 2, 2017.

Joe Amon, The Denver Post Flowers grace a fence near the site of the April 17 home explosion in Firestone May 2, 2017.



State and local investigators have said gas gushed from a cut, uncapped Anadarko Petroleum flow line connected to a gas well located about 170 feet from the home in Firestone. The flow line once was attached to a nearby tank farm, which had been relocated before the housing subdivision was built. The flow line was capped at the old location of the tank farm, but it had not been capped at the gas well as it should have been, state and local investigators have said.

The legislation also would require oil and gas companies to share their plans for future oil and gas operations with counties. The COGCC currently requires the industry to file those plans with local jurisdictions, but there is no requirement for such sharing for unincorporated county areas.

Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that Rep. Yeulin Willett, R-Grand Junction, was not on the House State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee and did not vote on the issue.