Coverup of toxins from oil spills and closed drill sites in Weld County went on for years
Colorado state regulators at ECMC are investigating two environmental consulting firms that falsified soil and water quality results from 2021 to 2024. Fake data on toxins and cancer causing chemicals from at least 350 oil spill sites and closed drilling locations were submitted for these major companies: Chevron, Civitas and Occidental Petroleum.
The consultants (Eagle Environmental Consulting and Tasman Geosciences) submitted forms with false dates and manipulated test results for contaminants including barium, sodium, arsenic and benzene. Soil and groundwater at 350 sites in Weld County were contaminated with these toxic substances and cancer-causing chemicals. ECMC believes this alleged fraud warrants fines and a criminal investigation, which would be taken up by the Colorado Attorney General’s office.
Apparently, ECMC knew about the faked reports in July 2024 but only came forward and announced this increased danger to the public in late November 2024. ECMC was unaware of the misconduct and would never have learned about it, if the oil and gas companies had not come forward and admitted their wrongdoing. This is yet another example of why trusting the oil and gas industry “self-report” is a terrible idea and puts public health at grave risk. ECMC admits that it’s investigation will likely reveal additional faked reports and contaminated sites. These two consulting forms also worked in other states besides Colorado, so the scope of this fraud could be even greater.
ARTICLE HERE: “Regulators accuse two consulting firms of falsifying environmental data from hundreds of oil and gas sites”
ARTICLE HERE: “Weld County Commissioners ‘disappointed’ with lack of answers after environmental oil, gas data manipulation”
ARTICLE HERE: Oil and Gas Firms Operating in Colorado Faslified Environmental Impact Reports
ARTICLE HERE: “Investigators haven’t found a motive for falsified environmental data filed at hundreds of oil and gas sites”
