Colorado Oil and Gas Health and Toxics Issues

Oil and gas development is rapidly advancing throughout Colorado. It is naive to think that the addition of thousands of wells per year will have no impact on the environment and the lives of people living in close proximity to the development. 

The following web pages document some of the health and environmental impacts being experienced in Colorado.

• Health Impacts
  
• Contamination Incidents
  
• Oil and Gas Chemicals and Health
  

OIL AND GAS TOXICS REGULATION IS NEEDED

Many citizens in Colorado are beginning to worry about the lack of regulation of chemicals used during drilling and production, and pollution released from oil and gas operations. 

• Lack of chemical disclosure and monitoring
  
• Why citizens should be concerned about lack of chemical disclosure
  
• Proof that toxic chemicals are being used by Colorado oil and gas companies
  
• What citizens can do

Lack of chemical disclosure and monitoring leave Colorado communities in the dark about oil and gas health impacts.

Many Colorado residents are experiencing health impacts that they believe are directly related to the release of oil and gas industry chemicals and wastes. 

Residents, as well, are experiencing frustration with the lack of monitoring and information provided by industry and government representatives, when spills or chemical releases occur. 

Unfortunately, there are regulatory gaps that prevent emergency preparedness staff, water utilities, local and environmental staff, medical professionals, health departments, and people living in close proximity to oil and gas facilities from obtaining complete information on the oil and gas industry chemicals that are being transported through, stored, and used and released in their communities.

Why should citizens be concerned about lack of disclosure of chemicals used in the oil and gas industry?

The chemical products used throughout the exploration, drilling and production phases of Colorado's oil and gas development are made up of a wide variety of chemical compounds.  Although it is common to hear from industry and some state agency representatives that drilling and production chemicals and wastes are benign, there is competing industry information indicating that toxic chemicals are used and released throughout the development process.

• In a 2004 presentation by BJ Services, one of the world's largest oilfield service companies, it was reported that about 2,500 chemicals are being used by the oil and gas industry; and that globally, the United States is behind other countries when it comes to phasing out the more toxic chemicals.
  
• By combing through the files of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, it is possible to find proof that Colorado companies are using toxic compounds such as diesel fuel, which contains cancer-causing chemicals, and 2-BE, which is a chemical that interfere's with the endocrine systems of living organisms.  This information is not routinely gathered by the COGCC. 

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, Inc. (TEDX) recently initiated a review of oil and gas industry chemicals being used in Western Colorado. The TEDX data indicated that numerous oil and gas industry chemicals present risks to human and environmental health.

There are a variety of sources of contamination and pathways for oil and gas contaminants to enter the environment and affect human health, and ample evidence that these chemicals are being released to the environment via air and water.

What can citizens do to work toward industry disclosure and monitoring of toxic chemicals and wastes?

In June of 2006, OGAP submitted a letter to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) on behalf of five citizens organizations in Colorado.  The groups asked that state agencies to require disclosure of the chemicals used and monitoring of chemicals and wastes released by the oil and gas industry in Colorado. 

• Download a copy of the original letter sent to the COGCC and CDPHE
  
• Download the most recent summary of Colorado oil and gas chemical toxicity and health data
  
• Download Colorado oil and gas chemical and waste incidents

The five organizations include: 

• San Juan Citizens Alliance
• Western Colorado Congress
• Western Slope Environmental Resource Council
• Grand Valley Citizens Alliance
• Oil and Gas Accountability Project

Contact the group nearest you to find out how you can participate in this effort.

For More Information

Related OGAP Web Pages

• OGAP's Public Health and Toxics main page
  
• New Mexico Health and Toxics Issues
  
• Oil and Gas Pollution
  
• Air Pollution from Oil and Gas
  
• Colorado Air Pollution from Oil and Gas
  
• Oil and Gas Waste Disposal
  
• Landowner Stories

Other Web Sites

Orion Magazine November/December 2006 feature on "Voices from the Gas Fields" of Colorado.  This article features stories of the impacts being felt by residents in Garfield County, Colorado.  There are also audio and video clips with additional stories, and information on issues related to oil and gas and health.