Colorado eying O&G air pollution rules

Associated Press

Air quality is the next frontier in Colorado’s oil and gas debate, as state health officials consider new rules to deal with an industry that emits at least 600 tons of contaminants a day.

Those emissions are now the main source of volatile organic compounds in Colorado and the third-largest source of nitrogen oxides, The Denver Post reported July 8 (http://bit.ly/1dajQw7).

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is looking at possible ways to reduce pollution. Colorado now has more than 50,000 oil and gas wells — a number increasing by about 2,000 a year.

Because the oil and gas producers are mostly regulated by the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, environmental activists are hoping the health department puts stricter control on the industry.

The health department could consider several rules, including:

•Strengthening emission controls on storage tanks;

•Statewide expansion of existing pollution control requirements that currently apply in the metro Denver and north Front Range areas;

•Establishing leak-detection and repair requirements for oil and gas wellheads and compressor stations;

•Raising thresholds for reporting oil and gas pollution.

A nine-member panel of air quality control commissioners appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper would vote on any proposed air pollution rules.

Industry officials from Encana Corp. are already reviewing and commenting on rules proposed by the health department, “giving input on what kinds of reductions are possible, given current technologies,” spokeswoman Bridget Ford said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued tougher national rules designed to reduce air pollution from oil and natural gas operations while allowing increased production. Health department air commissioners last year postponed full adoption of the EPA standards.

State lawmakers initially gave the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission primary oversight of the industry.

While that agency regulates odor and nuisance issues, the health department would enforce any new air pollution rules, agency officials said.

Colorado Oil and Gas Association policy director Doug Flanders pledged commitment “to the continual pursuit of emissions reductions,” and said the trade group “will continue to partner with our communities and state regulators” to achieve these.