The cities of Fort Collins and Loveland are exploring how they might more strictly regulate oil and gas development, with new rules possible in areas overlooked by state laws.

Limits on oil-company traffic, noise, the distance between oil operations and schools and even rules that require the companies to do a better job of hiding their tanks are all possible.

Just what comes out of these deliberations is still taking shape, but officials in both cities say they are being careful to move forward with regulations that won't conflict with the state.

Regulatory authority of oil and gas development generally rests with the state, not municipal governments, though cities and counties have a measure of control over certain activities that have an impact on what some call quality of life.

The forthcoming regulations come as controversy over hydraulic fracturing rages along the Front Range. Fracturing, also known as fracking, involves pumping water, sand and chemicals into shale to release oil and natural gas.

Air-quality studies have shown the presence of pollutants associated with oil and gas development. Others dislike the traffic and noise and what they say are unsightly wells.