Oil task force makes 9 recommendations; activists want statewide fracking ban

DENVER – Gov. John Hickenlooper’s oil and natural-gas task force on Tuesday evening voted to recommend proposals to bolster local control of oil and gas operations for consideration by the state Legislature.

The 21-member task force, formed by the governor in September, developed 56 proposals in all. In the end, task force members selected nine proposals for lawmakers to consider during the remaining portion of the legislative session.

Hickenlooper established the task force to recommend ways to reduce land-use conflicts related to oil and gas facilities around homes, schools, businesses and recreation areas. Creation of the task force headed off ballot initiatives…