Montezuma County Planning Commissioners on Thursday unanimously recommended approval of a high-impact and special-use permit for a Kinder Morgan carbon dioxide well near Pleasant View.
The recommendation will go before county commissioners, who will have the final say, at a future meeting.
The proposed location for the well is in the 22000 block of County Road 10, south of that road and west of County Road 11, according to planning documents. It would be located on a 190-acre property. The size of the well pad would be about 6 acres during construction and would be reduced to 1 acre after construction is done, according to Kinder Morgan representatives.
Kinder Morgan is aiming to start construction at the site by June 1, according to representative Chris Millican.
Millican said Kinder Morgan’s mineral permit for the site is under review with the federal government. County Planning Director LeeAnn Milligan said a condition of issuing a county permit is that the company has permits in order with the federal government.
During a public hearing on the permit, Millican was asked why the company was pursuing this permit while it has several other active permits that have not yet been drilled. Millican said the area on Road 10 looks to be more productive for drilling right now.
“Time has given us a chance to look at maps and figure out where would be better to drill,” he said. “We wouldn’t abandon other permits if it looks like they might be productive in the future.”