What is the cost of polluting the air that Coloradans breathe?
On February 24, 2025, we filmed pollution pouring out of a storage tank valve on a well pad owned by PDC Energy, a subsidiary of Chevron. The well pad is located just outside Brighton, Colorado and is within a half-mile radius of dozens of homes. Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) responded promptly and an APCD inspector observed the same pollution at the site a few days later. The valve was not operating as designed, so the APCD issued a notice of alleged violation.
(Bottom) Optical gas imaging video showing invisible pollution from a valve on one of the tanks
On March 4, 2025, the valve was fixed.
For nine days the facility was in violation of Colorado’s air quality rules, dumping harmful compounds into the air that pose a threat to public health, degrade regional air quality, and accelerate climate change.
The maximum daily fine in 2026 for violating Colorado’s air quality regulations is $57,773. A violation lasting nine days could result in a fine of over half a million dollars.
Yet, on August 13, 2026, the state proposed a total fine of only $18,375. This is less than 5% of the maximum fine that could have been assessed.
A few justifications APCD offered for this drastically reduced fine:
- One was the operator’s good behavior and cooperation. Meanwhile, another Chevron subsidiary in Colorado was just fined $1.5 million for a well blowout that rained toxic chemicals down on Galeton, Colorado for days.
- The other was the operator’s willingness to get back into compliance, but notably only after they were caught in violation of Colorado rules by Earthworks.
So, to answer the question posed above: for the oil and gas industry, polluting the air that Coloradans breathe is significantly cheaper than lobbying lawmakers and convincing the public that their pollution is not a threat.
We aim to change that.
Colorado is preparing for the 2027 legislative session, which is the first with a new governor in 8 years. This creates a rare opportunity for decisive action to put people over polluters. The Polis Administration has operated under the idea that “compliance” is the only thing that matters when it comes to air pollution, routinely negotiating penalties down to tiny fractions of the allowable maximum. This has allowed operators to routinely spew pollution into Colorado communities for pennies.
To truly put people, health, and the environment first, we need penalties that actually matter.