Shortchanging Clean Air: An Update

Oil and gas development in Colorado is straining the Air Pollution Control Division and posing an inordinate threat to clean air and our health. Smog levels are rising, our air is getting hazier (especially in our National Parks and wilderness areas), and health is on the decline. All the while, the Air Pollution Control Division is losing out on nearly $3,000,000 annually because it charges polluters less than half of what the Clean Air Act requires.

What is the oil and gas industry's response to all this? "So what?"

Fortunately, the state's response is a bit more...well, responsive, but not by much.

Christopher Dann, a spokesperson says the state is not closed off to the idea of raising pollution fees, but that there are "nuances" in the existing fee program. What these nuances are, he doesn't explain.

The state also explains to us that the Environmental Protection Agency has had "favorable" comments about Colorado's fees, which is little consolation for those of us who like to breath clean air.

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action recently joined in submitting a letter to Congress highlighting seven major Environmental Protection Agency rollbacks of the Clean Air Act. Needless to say, when it comes to clean air, it's hard to trust the Environmental Protection Agency these days. The agency's agenda seems more favorable to polluters, an agenda the state of Colorado might do best to disassociate itself from.

Regardless, there's a window of opportunity here and we sincerely hope the state of Colorado takes advantage of it. $3 million is a good chunk of change, and with the backing of the Clean Air Act, there's no reason we should be losing out on this potential revenue. We're playing catch up when it comes to air pollution from oil and gas. Well, here's one way we might be able to do that.