The Colorado Legislature will consider proposals to tighten pollution controls on vehicles and the oil and gas industry to bring the state into compliance with federal clean-air standards. Federal officials say ozone levels are too high in a nine-county region along the Front Range, including the Denver area and parts of Weld and Larimer counties.

The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission approved tighter rules after two days of hearings. The Legislature must give final approval.

The state must submit an ozone-reduction plan by July 1.

Regulators say pollution from oil and gas production has increased with expanded drilling in northern Colorado, while emissions from other sources have declined. Recent high ozone levels in western Wyoming are blamed on increased gas drilling there.

The state tightened standards on the oil and gas industry in late 2006 to meet federal ozone standards. Companies along the Front Range had to cut vapor emissions by 75 percent from tanks that capture liquids from oil and gas production. Regulators also imposed the first statewide controls on oil and gas tanks that emit 20 tons of pollution or more a year and on new, large internal combustion engines.

The tougher rules didn't save Colorado from being declared out of compliance after high ozone readings in summer 2007. Late last year, the Environmental Protection Agency officially found the Denver area in violation of federal standards.

The new rules require oil and gas companies on the Front Range to reduce tank emissions system-wide by 81 percent starting May 1, 85 percent by May 2010 and 90 percent by May 2011.

Mandatory vehicle emissions tests will be expanded to include the urban areas of Larimer and Weld Counties. The state has also asked the EPA to require cleaner-burning gasoline be sold in those counties.

Source:Carlines2008-6.32
VECC December 25, 2008