Colorado Oil And Gas: 'We've Made Steady Improvements'
By Stan Bush
DACONO, Colo. (CBS4) - Colorado's oil and gas companies are trumpeting their actions to reduce ozone levels in the state.
"We want people to know the oil and gas industry is here to get the job right and we've made steady improvements," says Scott Prestidge, public affairs director for the Colorado Oil & Gas Association.
COGA is launching a campaign to run through July highlighting steps the industry has taken to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, commonly referred to as VOCs.
"We've seen significant reductions of ozone-causing emissions from Colorado's oil and gas industry in recent years. That's due to technological innovation, regulatory initiatives, and leadership from our industry," says COGA President & CEO Dan Haley in a statement. "We need to keep this momentum going. It's good for our health, our environment, and our state."
Ground level ozone occurs nitrogen oxides (NOx) mix with VOCs in direct sunlight.
Denver was one known for a brown cloud of ozone that hovered throughout the metro area, but efforts in the last decade have significantly reduced noticeable emissions across the front range.
"CDPHE has been asking oil and gas companies to voluntarily perform certain actions in ozone alert days to reduce emissions," says Prestidge. "But we have not had to reduce operations."
COGA says the oil and gas industry has cut their emissions in half over the last six years.
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.