It’s been a fast week for news in Boulder County, from fracking to murder convictions, so on this snowy Friday—whether you’ve braved the forecasts and trekked to work a little disgruntled, or stayed home and are fending off guilt that it’s not really all that bad outside—here’s a quick recap of top news in BoCo this week:

›› Fracking jockeyed for the top spot among news items this week (competing with the murder trial of Kevin McGregor, more on that below), starting with the news that the state’s top oil and gas regulator has decided to join the state’s top law firm representing oil and gas companies. Dave Neslin practically wrote Colorado drilling regulations and once he joins Davis Graham & Stubbs on March 1, he’ll be assisting well operators to navigate them. Late in the week, Boulder County announced that it is imposing a moratorium on oil and gas drilling by suspending development planning for drilling applications that are in the pipeline. The issue of local control over drilling operations is one of the many issues dividing the state. Local governments responding to citizen concerns about potential health impacts of fracking are powerless to ban the practice outright … and that’s just the way that oil and gas companies, as well as some state officials (including Neslin and Gov. John Hickenlooper) want to keep it. Still, cities and counties have the power to impose certain guidelines through land-use rules and several (including Longmont and Commerce City, to name just a few) have halted new approvals while studying what other tools they might have at their disposal. Or, as Boulder County officials explained about its moratorium in a press release Thursday: “This will give us time to make sure that, within the limits of our legal authority, we are able to mitigate local impacts from these activities and to maximize protection for the people and environment of Boulder County.” The county will hold a public meeting on March 1 at 4 p.m. in the Commissioners Hearing Room on the third floor of the Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St. to get input from citizens.

›› Also late on Thursday, a jury in the first degree murder trial of Keven McGregor, accused of shooting and killing 20-year-old University of New Hampshire football player Todd Walker during a botched hold-up on The Hill was found guilty on all counts and immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole. The jury rejected the defense’s contention that McGregor accidentally shot Walker in a struggle over control of the gun. A Colorado Bureau of Investigation firearms expert testified earlier in the trial that evidence showed Walker could not have been shot from closer than five to six feet, casting doubt on the “grappling for the gun” theory. McGregor’s attorneys said they will appeal. See a comprehensive article about yesterday’s verdict in the Daily Camera here.

›› In the lightening round of lighter fare we have: Boulder Police arrested a very hungry man who gives a new perspective on folks who say “I’m going to destroy this meal” before scarfing into a plate of vittles … he’s accused of literally destroying (and eating) about $1,000 worth of prepared food he pawed through after breaking into the Alfalfa’s Market to satisfy a case of the late night munchies. / Judy Volc, the beloved storytime reader from the Boulder Public Library who was unceremoniously and arbitrarily fired from the volunteer position she’d held for more 50 years by new library Director Valerie Maginnis, essentially told Maginnis to pound sand when rejecting Maginnis’s feeble counter-offer intended to turn down some of the heat the decision has generated. Maginnis wanted Volc to act as a “greeter” at the library, for free. According to the Daily Camera, Volc responded by saying, “If I wanted to drive four or five miles to meet and greet, I would do it at Walmart and get paid.” BAM. / And lastly, while Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter, some rodent called “Flatiron Freddy” saw overcast skies in Boulder and prematurely called for the onset of spring. As we dig out from a nice winter drubbing less than 24 hours later, it’s easy to see that Freddy still has a to learn from Phil.

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Dave Neslin, the director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission—the state agency in charge of regulating oil and gas operators who’ve created much uproar and controversy in Boulder County through their use of hydraulic fracturing—announced he will step down from his industry oversight position to join Davis Graham & Stubbs, a Denver law firm that represents (you guessed it) oil and gas companies.

Davis Graham & Stubbs counts Encana Oil & Gas among its clients, the well operator that sparked a fracking controversy in Erie with plans to open an eight-well drilling pad just a few hundred yards from both of its elementary schools. Just weeks ago, Neslin attended an Erie Board of Trustees meeting to discuss fracking in his role as industry watchdog. Encana representatives were also present at the meeting and, as of March 1, he’ll be part of Encana’s outside legal team.

“This says a lot about where he’s been coming from when he’s been at public hearings for God knows how long,” said Erie resident Wendy Leonard, a member of an anti-fracking grassroots group called Erie Rising.

As an organization, Erie Rising had no comment on Neslin’s move, said spokeswoman April Beach.

Davis Graham & Stubbs represented Encana as recently as last year, when it petitioned the state engineer for a finding that certain groundwater formations beneath Encana oil fields in Garfield County were “nontributary,” meaning Encana wouldn’t need to go through the added cost and headache of obtaining a water permit for extracting it as a byproduct of drilling activities from deep below the surface.

Chris Richardson, the law firm’s managing partner, said that although Encana is a client, they don’t get involved in the company’s day-to-day operational issues, which are usually left to in-house lawyers. Therefore, Encana spokeswoman Wendy Weidenbeck said, Neslin’s new job would have no impact on local issues.

Still, Davis Graham & Stubbs touts many areas of expertise among its lawyers that are of direct concern to Erie residents. On the law firm’s website are links to presentations detailing strategies for dealing with lawsuits alleging fracking-related health effects and updates on pending litigation and regulatory issues.

And regulatory issues are Neslin’s forte. Appointed as acting director of COGCC in 2007, he “piloted the overhaul of Colorado’s drilling regulations—a long and politically charged exercise,” writes the Denver Post. Thanks to Neslin, Colorado has what are widely regarded to be some of the toughest drilling regulations in the country and Davis Graham & Stubbs is clearly excited to have him on board to help its oil and gas clients navigate them.

“Dave’s expertise and history with the COGCC will be a tremendous asset to our energy clients who are committed to developing their projects in a responsible manner,” Richardson is quoted as saying in a press release.

To be sure, the law firm represents more oil and gas companies than just Encana. Richardson would only say that there are a “variety of them.” The law firm’s website goes into a bit more detail:

“These clients range from individuals, partnerships, independents, and small companies to major joint ventures and Fortune 500 companies,” it says. “Many of our clients are foreign, including companies based in Canada, France, Germany, England, Japan and Australia. We also assist U.S. clients with activities in numerous foreign countries.”

There is a bright side to the top state-level overseer of the oil and gas industry now working on behalf of that industry, at least in the eyes of one fracking opponent.

“The positive piece on this is that hopefully we’ll get someone in there that isn’t biased,” said Leonard.

Neslin could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

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