Ramesh Bhatt, Sierra Club of Colorado Conservation Chair, bhattlex@gmail.com
Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Denver– On Wednesday, June 8th, Governor Polis signed House Bill 22-1348, the “Oversight of Chemicals Used in Oil and Gas Production”. This transformative policy was championed by Representatives Meg Froelich and Yadira Caraveo and Senator Faith Winter.
HB22-1348 improves transparency by requiring public disclosure of all chemicals used in downhole operations of oil and gas production - a first-in-the-nation achievement. It prevents chemical manufacturers from claiming trade secret protections for the individual chemicals used to make fracking and drilling fluids. And it requires those manufacturers to certify to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission that no products used in Colorado extraction operations contain hazardous and toxic PFAS “forever chemicals.”
Research by Physicians for Social Responsibility found that Colorado, like most states, was failing to receive information about the names of chemicals used in the oil and gas industry, with more than 400 million pounds of mystery chemicals injected in the sub-surface of Colorado over a ten-year period. All three pieces of HB22-1348 dramatically improve transparency at the nexus of public health and oil and gas operations in Colorado.
“Coloradans deserve to know what chemicals oil and gas operators are putting in the ground in our communities,” said Representative Meg Froelich. “The industry will have better compliance with existing reporting requirements and will no longer be able to hide potentially dangerous chemicals from the public via a ‘trade secret’ exemption.”
“First responders and medical professionals will now have the opportunity to prepare and plan for accidents and or spills that occur at oil and gas operations. Understanding what chemicals are on site will help to ensure that first responders have adequate protective gear and that medical personnel can diagnose and treat symptoms from chemical exposure rapidly,” said Representative and Doctor Yadira Caraveo.
“Colorado is a beautiful place to live and our water resources, which are increasingly threatened by climate change, are precious,” said Senator Faith Winter. “HB22-1348 helps to protect our water from forever chemicals like ‘PFAS’ and other cancer-causing toxins. It ensures that future Coloradans will have water that is drinkable, fishable and swimmable.”
“I am grateful for the sponsors of HB22-1348 and to Governor Polis for their leadership and commitment to protecting Colorado communities from the chemicals used in fracking operations. And this victory wouldn’t have been possible without contributions from our many environmental, public health, and local government partners. From here we will work with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to properly implement the law and protect our communities and the environment,” said Ramesh Bhatt, Sierra Club, Colorado Chapter Conservation Chair.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.