Oil and Gas Industry Violating Air Pollution Rules in Colorado

According to a recent report in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, oil and gas companies violated Colorado air quality rules 73 times in the first three months of this year alone–nearly 75 percent of all Colorado air pollution enforcement cases during that period.

I don’t think anyone needs me to tell them that that is 73 times too many, endangering human health. According to my colleague, NRDC health expert Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, oil and gas production releases air pollutants that are very dangerous to human health, including benzene, xylene, and other hydrocarbons that can cause respiratory and neurological impacts and increase the risk of cancer. This pollution also contributes to the formation of ozone, a powerful respiratory irritant that is especially dangerous for people with asthma, particularly children.

I’ve blogged recently about the poor compliance record of the oil and gas industry–such as the thousands of spills per year and the high rate of safety violations.

The oil and gas industry continues to violate our laws on a regular basis. Companies need to clean up their act and make it a priority to comply with the rules on the books, and regulators need to impose penalties that are meaningful enough to change business practices. Otherwise, the public has every reason to continue fearing the risks of oil and gas development in their communities.

NRDC

4 Comments on "Oil and Gas Industry Violating Air Pollution Rules in Colorado"

Plantagenet on Sun, 14th Jul 2013 10:15 pm 



And the wind energy biz violates the endangered species act every time their windmills kill a hawk or bat, and the solar industry violates the endangered species act every time they destroy desert environments to put out solar cells.

Its sad.

Norm on Mon, 15th Jul 2013 1:08 am 



Endangered mice and rattlesnakes can have new habitat living underneath the desert solar panels. Good for environment. Also the snakes will eat the mice under the solar panels in natural bio harmony

BillT on Mon, 15th Jul 2013 1:59 am 



The hydrocarbon industry has been killing us since the first coal mine and oil well. It is just so widespread and intensive now, that it is becoming more obvious. But the manufacture of ‘renewables’ uses them to supply the energy of mining, refining, manufacture, installation and maintenance. So, there is no net gain. Or, the planting, spraying, fertilizing, harvesting, processing and distribution of bio-fools. The pollution will not stop until the mines are closed and the wells all stop pumping. But, that will be soon, I think.

GregT on Mon, 15th Jul 2013 4:24 am 



Well, it certainly is a good thing that all of that Colorado air stays in Colorado, otherwise the rest of the planet would also have air quality issues.