More Drilling, More Smog

The Rocky Mountain News ran an article today by Todd Hartman explaining how transport of ozone pollution is contributing to unhealthy smog levels in the Denver metro area. The article points out the fact that booming oil and gas drilling is responsible for much of the ozone pollution transported throughout the state.

Case in point is the fact that ozone monitors in western Colorado and other rural parts of the Rocky Mountain region are registering dangerously high ozone levels. In Mesa Verde National Park, ozone levels are steadily rising. Exceedances of the health standard of 80 parts per billion have even been registered.

Peak Annual Ozone Concentrations in Mesa Verde National Park (data from EPA)

The article also points out that ozone monitors in western Wyoming have registered exceedances of the ozone health standard in the winters of 2005 and 2006. This is amazing and very disturbing for two reasons. First, the exceedances happened in the winter, a time when ozone levels are usually very low. Second, the only real source of ozone pollution in this region, which has a population of less than 10,000 people, is oil and gas development. Like western Colorado, oil and gas development is booming in this region, especially in the Jonah Field south of Pinedale, Wyoming, which is pictured below.


The data shows that oil and gas development is a serious and growing threat to clean air and our health. We need to act on this knowledge and take action now to reduce regional smog to protect not just the Denver metro area, but communities throughout the Rocky Mountain region.