ECMC HAS FAILED TO ENFORCE FRACKING CHEMICAL DISCLOSURE LAWS FOR YEARS
A damning report by Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), PSR Colorado, Colorado Sierra Club, and FracTracker Alliance shows that oil and gas operators in Colorado are out of compliance with a 2022 Colorado law requiring them to report all chemicals used in fracking wells. Only 39% of the 1,114 wells are in compliance and the state oil and gas regulators (ECMC) are not cracking down on these lawbreakers.
The PSR report explains that “the 2022 law was prompted by concerns about the use of secret chemicals, known toxic chemicals, and potentially toxic chemicals in drilling and fracking oil and gas wells. These substances included per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a widely used class of chemicals known for their extraordinary toxicity, negative health effects, and persistence in the environment.” There is a strong suspicion that PFAS chemicals are being used and not reported in Colorado oil and gas operations. It also appears that the regulators at ECMC are not enforcing the 2022 chemical disclosure laws. Non-compliance with the laws is supposed to result in large fines and removal of permission to drill in Colorado. PSR has informed ECMC of these apparent violations and received inadequate responses (as detailed in the PSR report).
ARTICLE HERE: “Report: 20 Oil and Gas Companies Aren’t Complying with Law Requiring Disclosure of Chemicals they Use.”
ARTICLE HERE: “US Oil Firms Pumping Secret Chemicals into the Ground and not Fully Reporting It.
