The Energy and Carbon Management Commission unanimously approved Verdad Resources’ amended Nighthawk Oil and Gas Development Plan on Jan. 14, 2026 after the company reconfigured its mineral development area to resolve a prior protest with a neighboring applicant.

Verdad’s presentation explained the amendment: removing one section that overlapped a competing proposal and adding two sections to the south increased the mineral development area from roughly 3,840 to 4,480 acres while keeping the same well count (24 horizontal wells) and favoring an existing pad to minimize new disturbance. Heather Mitchell, Verdad’s director of regulatory affairs, said the company secured line power for the pad and committed to an electrified drilling rig, electrified production equipment, pipeline takeaway for oil to reduce truck traffic and a temporary lay-flat line to reduce truck trips during completions.

Verdad also described environmental benefits tied to the proposal: plugging and abandoning one existing well on Verdad-owned land, reclaiming approximately 12 acres of prior disturbance, removing production tanks, and an overall net reduction in NOx and VOCs through modernized equipment and infrastructure adjustments. Weld County (the relevant local government) told the commission it supported the director’s recommendation and had vetted the project through its county 1041/WOCA process; Verdad said permit and expansion work would proceed in 2026 with drilling and flowback anticipated that year.

Staff confirmed the amended application remains consistent with ECMC rules and staff recommendations, and commissioners voted 5–0 to approve the amended Nighthawk OGDP.