smog monitors needed

NEWS RELEASE

Western Colorado Communities at Risk from Lack of Air Monitoring, Booming Oil and Gas Development
Community Groups Ask State to Install Smog Monitors, Hold Industry Accountable to Paying for Them

For Immediate Release: December 7, 2006

For More Information Contact: Jeremy Nichols, Director, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action (303) 454-3370; Bill Grant, Board President, Western Colorado Congress, (970), 433-6996

Western Colorado—Unchecked smog pollution from rampant oil and gas development threatens Western Colorado communities, prompting community groups to ask the state of Colorado of install air monitors and make industry pay for them.

In a letter sent today to the Directors of the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, community groups asked the state of Colorado to install monitors to measure smog pollution in Garfield County and the City of Grand Junction. At the same time, the Grand Junction City Council last night approved a resolution also asking the state of Colroado to install smog monitors in Grand Junction. Rising smog pollution, also known as ozone, is one of the most widespread threats to human health in the Rocky Mountains, and is linked to booming oil and gas development. Examples include:

Denver: Smog levels exceeded health standards 66 times last summer, the result of booming oil and gas development in the Wattenberg gas field north of Denver.

Southwestern Wyoming: Smog levels exceeded federal health standards in the Jonah gas field in 2005 and 2006 as a result of massive gas development

Northwestern New Mexico: Smog levels in the coalbed methane fields of the San Juan Basin have nearly violated federal health standards.

Western Colorado is also experiencing rising air pollution in the face of booming oil and gas development, and, most likely, unhealthy levels of smog. Unfortunately, a lack of air monitors prevents a definitive answer and definitive protection.

“Better monitoring means better protection,” said Greg Russi with the Grand Valley Citizens Alliance, a Garfield County community group joining the request. “When it comes to smog, we’re only guessing what’s going on in western Colorado and we can’t leave the health of our children and families up to guessing.”

Studies of air quality in Grand Junction have also found levels of volatile organic compounds similar to those found in Denver. Volatile organic compounds react with sunlight to form smog, raising concerns that Grand Junction may also be experiencing unhealthy smog pollution. In addition to rising oil and gas development in Mesa County, increased traffic and industrial development contribute to air pollution. No smog monitors exist in Grand Junction, however.

“The only thing clear about Grand Junction’s air is that it’s worsened,” said Bill Grant with the Western Colorado Congress, a Grand Junction-based community group joining the request. “Everyone wants clean air in Grand Junction, but we need the monitors to keep air pollution in check.”

The request comes as the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission is considering adopting rules that would reduce emissions of smog forming pollution from oil and gas developments in western Colorado. The Commission is set to adopt rules at a hearing on December 17th in Denver. Citizens are worried that without adequate monitoring, there may be no way to measure the success of the rules.

“We need strong a smog reduction rule for Colorado, but we also need to be able to measure whether or not it’s working,” said Jeremy Nichols, Director of Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action. “With oil and gas development continuing at an unprecedented rate, we need to make sure clean air is protected now and into the future.”

The groups are also asking the state to require oil and gas companies that violate clean air laws to pay for smog monitoring. Several companies, including EnCana and Williams, have come under enforcement action by the Air Pollution Control Division on numerous occasions for clean air violations in western Colorado. Just this year, the state has taken enforcement action against EnCana at least three times. Oil and gas companies in western Colorado have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines over the years, money that could be directed toward better monitoring.

“Oil and gas companies are frequently violating clean air laws in western Colorado, putting our clean air and our communities at even greater risk,” said Patrick Barker with Western Colorado Congress. “It’s certainly not too much to ask for these companies to step up and take accountability for monitoring.”

Additionally, the oil and gas industry has been outspoken over its concerns that there is a lack of air quality monitoring data in western Colorado. Today’s request would help alleviate industry concerns, while at the same time furthering the protection of clean air.

The groups joining the letter include Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, Western Colorado Congress, Grand Valley Citizens Alliance, Concerned Citizens Alliance, Oil and Gas Accountability Project, and Environmental Defense.

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