Fracking Bans Pass in 3 Colorado Cities

Measures to halt hydraulic fracturing in various ways were passing in three Colorado cities early Wednesday, while results on a fourth anti-fracking proposal were still close.

The votes in four Colorado cities on fracking within city limits -- in Boulder, Broomfield, Fort Collins and Lafayette -- attracted attention far beyond the state's borders in recent weeks as the nation debates the pros and cons of the widely used practice. And those involved say the issues raised by the campaigns will continue to be debated for months and years to come.

Boulder's anti-fracking measure passed handily, while those in Fort Collins and Lafayette saw smaller margins in the "yes" column.

Meanwhile, the yes and no votes on Broomfield's fracking measure were separated by the slimmest of margins early Wednesday.

The four initiatives:

• Broomfield: Question 300, which would have imposed a five-year prohibition on all fracking.

• Fort Collins: Its measure will place a five-year moratorium on fracking and storage of waste products related to the oil and gas industry in town.

• City of Boulder: 2H imposes a five-year moratorium on oil and gas exploration.

• Lafayette: Question No. 300 will ban new oil and gas wells in town. (Click here for more on the Lafayette measure, which goes further than the others.