Oil and gas companies in Colorado have submitted falsified pollution data for hundreds of wells, obscuring levels of hazardous contaminants and raising questions about industry oversight.
Joe Fassler reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Colorado's Energy and Carbon Management Commission revealed falsified reports for 344 wells, with contaminants like arsenic and benzene underreported.
- Chevron, Oxy and Civitas used third-party consultants accused of manipulating data, some of whom admitted errors.
- The investigation could lead to criminal charges and raises concerns about self-reported environmental impact data.
Key quote:
“This highlights the whole problem of our regulatory agency relying on operator-reported data. The public needs to know that they are really being put at risk by these carcinogens.”
— Heidi Leathwood, climate policy analyst, 350 Colorado
Why this matters:
Accurate pollution data is crucial to protecting public health and ensuring environmental safety. Self-reported and fraudulent reports undermine trust in regulations and could endanger communities exposed to carcinogens like arsenic and benzene.
Related: LISTEN: Arsenic contamination in drinking water poses severe health risks
