DEQ

State looks at regulating uranium

Irina Zhorov — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:22:37 +0000

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality has started work on a study to determine the feasibility of regulating a larger share of uranium mining in the state.

Currently the industry is regulated by both federal and state agencies, which some operators say is burdensome, repetitive, and increases the time necessary to receive a permit. The legislature passed a bill this session commissioning the study about becoming what’s called an agreement state.

DEQ installs air quality monitors in Casper, Rock Springs

Willow Belden — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:46:58 +0000

The Department of Environmental Quality has installed air quality monitors in Casper and Rock Springs.

DEQ Spokesman Keith Guille says they want to find out what pollutants are in the air, and whether they’re occurring at levels that are hazardous to public health.

“It’s important to get a baseline of right now what we’re seeing for air quality,” Guille said. “And then also if we do find some issues, obviously we need to start looking into what may be leading into higher levels of certain constituents.”

DEQ engine emissions study shows significant non-compliance

Willow Belden — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:59:52 +0000

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is wrapping up an engine emissions study it started in May of 2011. The study looks at emissions from engines around the state, like generators running on oil and gas fields, to find out if those emissions are in compliance with air quality laws.

DEQ Air Quality Engineer Jon Walker says operators have traditionally been in charge of monitoring their own engines, but he says that’s not a good system.

DEQ ponders new rules to tackle Sublette County ozone

Willow Belden — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:40:58 +0000

The Department of Environmental Quality is considering new regulations for the energy industry in Sublette County, in order to address the ozone problem there.

Ozone is a component in smog and can lead to health problems. In Sublette County, it’s caused by emissions from the oil and gas industry.

DEQ’s air quality administrator, Steve Dietrich, says one area they want to focus on is older production equipment that predates the current emissions rules.

DEQ to announce plans for tackling Pinedale ozone problem

Willow Belden — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:00:54 +0000

Tomorrow, the Department of Environmental Quality will announce how it plans to fix air quality problems near Pinedale.

Emissions from oil and gas development in Sublette County have caused ozone, or smog, to form at levels that exceed federal limits. Last year, a community task force recommended possible solutions. They called for tougher regulations on industry and more rigorous air quality monitoring, among other things.

Surface discharge of water used in oil recovery common throughout Wyoming

Irina Zhorov — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 16:11:47 +0000

The EPA issues water discharge permits on the Wind River Indian Reservation to oil and gas companies bringing up water with their oil.

That water, called produced water, is dirty and often warm even in winter. The permits are issued through an EPA waiver that allows such water to be discharged in the arid West if it’s being used beneficially. In the drier parts of Wyoming it is sometimes the only source of water for livestock and wildlife.

Pavillion Working Group Has New Issue To Address

Joshua Scheer — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:34:08 +0000

A working group looking into groundwater contamination near Pavillion is still debating findings of contamination of water wells near the town.

State officials are still studying the results of a U.S. Geological Survey test and some possible conflicting information with an Environmental Protection Agency study.

CO2 in stream, dead ducks prompt DEQ citation

The Associated Press — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:11:30 +0000

Wyoming environmental regulators say carbon dioxide bubbling up from the ground may have killed six ducks and polluted a stream.

The leak happened in an area where CO2 is injected underground to help revive an old oil field and boost oil production.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality has ordered Anadarko Petroleum to identify and control the carbon dioxide leak into Castle Creek in central Wyoming. DEQ also is telling Anadarko to monitor the stream's acidity until three consecutive tests show normal pH.

USGS releases raw data, but no analysis, about Pavillion groundwater

Willow Belden — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:28:03 +0000

The U.S. Geological Survey has released new data about groundwater testing near Pavillion. The testing was meant to provide additional information about whether hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, caused water contamination there.

Keith Guille with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality says no one quite knows what the results mean yet, because the USGS only provided raw numbers, not analysis.

Pinedale task force recommends fixes to ozone problem

Willow Belden — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 19:21:19 +0000

A task force in Pinedale has come up with a list of recommendations for how to fix air quality problems in Sublette County.

The area violates federal air quality standards because oil and gas production have led to high levels of ozone, or smog, in recent years. So at the suggestion of Gov. Matt Mead, a group of citizens, industry reps and local leaders got together to come up with a solution.

More Scrutiny For The Sinclair Oil Refinery

Bob Beck — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:10:12 +0000

An organization connected with the Centers for Disease Control says it believes there should be more scrutiny of emissions coming from the Sinclair Oil Refinery.

High Ozone Levels Subject Of Pinedale Meeting

Willow Belden — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:36:01 +0000

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality says oil and gas companies in the Pinedale area are improving efforts to curb emissions on high ozone days.

The area is not in compliance with federal Clean Air Act standards, and the DEQ held a public meeting Tuesday, to brief residents on its efforts to combat the high ozone levels.