29 Jul In 2014, Colorado Oil And Gas Spills Are Happening Twice A Day
In the not so wonderful news category, Tom Kenworthy, a Senior Fellow at American Progress, reports that there are more oil and gas spills then ever in Colorado, most of which are not being reported to nearby residents.
The more they drill, the more they spill. And the part about telling residents about it, not so much.
A Denver Post analysis of Colorado oil and gas spills so far in 2014 reveals that they are happening twice a day “and usually without anyone telling residents.”
That rate, 467 spills for the first 7 months of this year, suggests that the state will surpass last year’s record of 575, the paper reported, due to a surge in oil and gas development and more stringent reporting rules. The state oil and gas commission said that tougher enforcement is also a factor.
Colorado now has about 52,000 active oil and gas wells, with much of the recent growth occurring along the populous Front Range north and northeast of Denver. The rapid pace of drilling and its proximity to many communities has sparked a simmering revolt, with the prospect looming of an epic election season battle over ballot proposals to allow more local control of oil and gas development. A drive to obtain enough signatures to place those measures on the ballot will conclude on August 4.
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