On a sweltering October day, wildlife biologist Wendy Hanophy scanned the muddy shores of the Aurora Reservoir, her search for the elusive northern leopard frog proving fruitless amidst the signs of other local wildlife, from raccoon tracks to a distant coyote. The frog, a sensitive indicator species known for its reliance on moist habitats, was likely seeking refuge from the midday heat, a behavior that highlights its vulnerability to environmental disruptions. Hanophy, a retired Colorado Parks and Wildlife employee, explained that these amphibians travel significant distances from their breeding grounds to forage, making them susceptible to habitat disturbances across a wider area. Her concern, shared by hundreds of Aurora residents, centers on a proposal by Crestone Peak Resources Operating LLC to construct one of Colorado’s largest oil and gas pads on a former bombing range, less than a mile from the reservoir and the surrounding suburban communities.

The northern leopard frog’s precarious status is well-documented, with scientists agreeing that habitat disturbances pose a significant risk to its dwindling population. Herpetologists hired by a local residents’ group, Save the Aurora Reservoir (STAR), recently discovered three of these frogs just uphill from the proposed 35-acre drilling site, a finding that underscores the immediate stakes involved. This discovery follows the state’s classification of "Oil & Gas Exploration & Extraction" as a threat to the species in its 2025 wildlife action plan, which designates the amphibian as requiring "conservation interventions most urgently." The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also participating in a case study to restore northern leopard frog habitat northwest of Denver, recognizing the species as one of "greatest conservation need in many Western states" and labeling it as "sensitive, threatened, or endangered."

The proposed 32-well "State Sunlight/Long" pad is part of a larger oil and gas development plan for the Lowry Ranch, a 26,000-acre property owned by the State Land Board, located approximately 25 miles southeast of Denver. This picturesque area is increasingly surrounded by rapidly developing suburbs. The State Land Board’s own "2050 Stewardship Framework" acknowledges the unique and rare habitat components required by several species of conservation concern found on the ranch’s Piedmont grasslands, including the northern leopard frog. Despite these acknowledgments, the land board has entered into a lease agreement with Crestone’s parent company, Civitas Resources, permitting drilling on the property, with state regulators responsible for approving the specific well locations.

The potential impact of industrial development on imperiled species is not unprecedented. Historically, various species have successfully halted, altered, or altogether stopped industrial projects. In Texas, the Braken Bat Cave meshweaver spider impeded highway construction in San Antonio. In West Virginia, the Indiana bat caused delays for a significant wind farm project. Similarly, the endangered snuffbox mussel brought work to a halt on a bridge project over Ohio’s Grand River. In California, efforts by the Trump administration to improve water infrastructure were stymied by concerns for the delta smelt.

Surveys indicate that northern leopard frogs are indeed present in the vicinity of the proposed Sunlight/Long pad. Crestone’s own consultants identified the amphibians near the site between 2012 and 2018, and again in recent surveys conducted in 2024 and this year, concluding that creek beds nearby may serve as winter hibernation sites. Researchers for STAR, who documented three frogs in the area this fall, reported in a September document that these repeated sightings suggest a "stable population at this site." They further posited that the area is likely part of a larger, not fully understood, metapopulation that could connect this frog group to other breeding populations.

In response to these concerns, Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist Brandon Marette, in a September letter to the Energy & Carbon Management Commission, suggested an alternative location for the oil and gas pad that would better protect the frog’s habitat. However, he acknowledged that such an alternative is not currently feasible due to Arapahoe County regulations requiring oil and gas operations to be situated at least 3,000 feet from reservoirs. Marette also emphasized that the western U.S. population of northern leopard frogs is declining, and the populations in the proposed development region are "fragmented and limited," with existing threats expected to escalate significantly within the next decade.

To mitigate potential harm, Marette proposed specific measures, including diverting frogs away from an access road that is projected to handle substantial daily truck traffic. This road will be situated only 500 feet from the reservoir, raising concerns about "fatalities resulting from truck and vehicle traffic." Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommended that Crestone conduct construction and road improvements between December 1 and February 28, when the frogs are hibernating. They also requested weekly "windshield surveys" between March and November to document any frog mortalities on the road, with findings to be reported to the agency.

The northern leopard frog’s role is central to the upcoming November 19 hearing on the Sunlight/Long pad, with the amphibian referenced approximately 90 times in a 265-page report by Julie Murphy, director of the Energy & Carbon Management Commission. Murphy recommended approval of the project, noting that Crestone has agreed to time construction during the frog’s hibernation, conduct pre-disturbance surveys, and install silt fences to guide amphibians to culverts under the road. Crestone, in its prehearing statement, acknowledged concerns for the frogs and stated that it incorporated aspects of the STAR-commissioned report into agreed-upon mitigation measures. Jamie Jost, an attorney representing Crestone, asserted that the commission should rely on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife consultation letter, which he believes demonstrates Crestone’s commitment to wildlife resource protection.

Meanwhile, habitat disturbance is already occurring elsewhere on the Lowry Ranch. State energy regulators have previously approved several multi-well pads as part of a comprehensive 50-square-mile drilling plan that could eventually encompass up to 166 wells across eight locations by 2030. Residents in neighborhoods adjacent to the ranch’s southern edge formed STAR in 2022 to protest drilling near their communities, raising concerns about pollution, seismic activity, noise, and traffic. Their activism has brought national attention to Colorado’s 2019 mandate to prioritize public health, safety, and the environment over fossil fuel profits, a directive that led to the development of extensive new regulations.

STAR’s efforts have demonstrably influenced how the state’s energy commission evaluates community concerns, with thousands of public comments submitted in opposition to the Sunlight/Long pad. The commission’s decision to hold a public hearing in the community in September, and STAR’s subsequent status as the first resident organization to formally appear before the commission, highlight the growing influence of local advocacy. The nonprofit continues to challenge the implementation of the state’s new oil and gas rules, particularly regarding the adequacy of wildlife protection plans submitted by companies for new and amended drilling locations.

Mike Foote, an attorney representing STAR, argued in prehearing statements that wildlife resources should be afforded the same level of protection as humans and the environment. He contends that neither Crestone’s mitigation plan nor the state wildlife agency’s consultation report adequately considered alternative locations that could have avoided adverse impacts on the frogs from the outset. Despite the mitigation measures agreed upon by Crestone, state wildlife officials, and energy regulators, Hanophy, the retired biologist, remains concerned about the potential impacts of pollution, noise, vibrations, land disturbance, and traffic on the amphibians’ breeding success and survival. She warned that the inability of frogs to move freely between critical habitats could lead to a population crash, emphasizing that extinction is often a gradual process that culminates in a population’s inability to sustain itself.