For Immediate Release:
October 15, 2007
For More Information:
Jeremy Nichols, Director, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, (303) 454-3370
Denver-Taking aim at greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action has called on the state of Colorado to safeguard the climate and start regulating carbon dioxide, as required by federal and state clean air laws.
"Clean air and a healthy climate go hand in hand," said Jeremy Nichols, Director of Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action. "It's time for Colorado to start regulating greenhouse gases as the air pollutants they are to help keep our communities, our state, and our world safe."
Carbon dioxide is considered an air pollutant under the federal Clean Air Act because of the harmful effects of climate change, a fact upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year and bolstered by recent reports from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Under state law, an air pollutant is considered to be "any gas...which is emitted into or otherwise enters the atmosphere."
State regulations require any stationary source of air pollution that spews more than 250 tons per year of any pollutant capable of being regulated under the federal Clean Air Act to use the best available pollution controls. If a source emits more than 250 tons per year of carbon dioxide, it must use the best available pollution controls to limit carbon dioxide because the gas is capable of being regulated under the federal Clean Air Act.
In comments just submitted on a proposed air pollution permit for Chevron USA to build two huge natural gas compressor engines in Garfield County, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action called on the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division to require best available pollution controls for carbon dioxide, as required by law. If built with no pollution controls, the two engines would release nearly 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide could be reduced from the engines by increasing efficiency or by utilizing exhaust gases to generate electricity in a combined heat and power system.
"Greenhouse gases are air pollution and subject to regulation, just like any other harmful gas spewed into the air," said Nichols. "With our climate, our health, and our safety at stake, this is one legal duty Colorado can ill-afford to turn its back on."
If built, the two compressor engines, which have the horsepower of seven Doge V8 pickup trucks, will also spew over 70,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides according to the Air Pollution Control Division, as much as 1,800 cars each driven 12,500 miles in a year (according to the EPA, a car releases 38.2 pounds of nitrogen oxides annually). Nitrogen oxides form smog and haze. The engines will also spew 16,000 pounds of toxic gases, including formaldehyde, classified as a known carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute.
In 2000, the oil and gas industry was reported to release nearly 10% of Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions. More recent inventories in the neighboring states of New Mexico and Wyoming show the industry is responsible for nearly 25% of of greenhouse gases. In light of Colorado's natural gas boom, greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry have likely increased substantially since 2000.
"The urgency is upon us, we need start taking action to keep greenhouse gases in check," said Nichols. "We need the ball rolling and what better place to start than with oil and gas drillers."
Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action's comments are the first in Colorado to demand that carbon dioxide be regulated as an air pollutant under state and federal clean air laws. They are available here >>
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