Biofuel company’s wastewater plan draws scrutiny

Rocky Mountain Front rancher Lisa Schmidt has a reputation for keeping a close eye on the 16 springs that sustain her cattle and sheep operation. She knows she’s lucky to have the springs on her property, and she doesn’t take them for granted — especially not after high oil prices in 2011 led the property’s mineral rights holders to explore an alternate source of subsurface revenue: oil and gas reservoirs. After exploratory drilling on the ranch ceased, Schmidt started sampling her groundwater once or twice a year to ensure the safety of the resource her family and livestock rely on and es