GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo.—Two Garfield County commissioners are urging state regulators to quickly clean up contamination from natural gas operations that has fouled a western Colorado landowner’s spring.
County Commissioners Mike Samson and John Martin voiced frustration Monday with the investigation into the contamination that landowner Ned Prather discovered last May. Prather became sick after drinking water containing volatile organic compounds, including benzene, known to cause cancer.
Samson and Martin agreed to send a resolution calling on the state to clean up Prather’s spring. The spring provides water for Prather’s cabin, which he uses for his outfitting and hunting guide business.
Dick Prather, Ned Prather’s brother, and attorney Richard Djokic told the commissioners that there is no plan to test the water and soil and monitor to determine if the plume of contaminants has spread.
But state regulators said Wednesday the investigation is ongoing and that tests were conducted as recently as last week.
“I think we all understand that the Prathers are frustrated with the pace of the investigation, but we’re also obliged to proceed in a diligent and responsible manner,” said Dave Neslin, executive director of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
Garfield County Commissioner Tresi Houpt is also a member of the oil and gas commission, which regulates the industry. She excused herself from the discussion to avoid a conflict of interest.
The oil and gas commission has overseen extensive testing and monitoring by its staff, contractors and gas companies working in the area, Neslin told The Associated Press. He said the investigation has eliminated three companies’ operations as the source of the contamination and is still looking at Williams Production’s facilities.
Williams told The Denver Post that its data doesn’t indicate that its facilities are the source.
Neslin said the investigation has determined that condensed liquids from gas operations contaminated the spring. He said state officials found that a second area spring was contaminated by wastewater from gas operations and are looking at whether Occidental Petroleum Corp. was involved.
Occidental Petroleum told the Post Independent in Glenwood Springs that it doesn’t believe it is the source of the pollution.
The oil and gas commission is exploring ways to treat the groundwater before it enters Prather’s spring, said Debbie Baldwin, the agency’s environmental manger. She said the water is still too contaminated to drink, but the concentrations of the chemicals have dropped, indicating the contamination isn’t ongoing.
The state ordered that water be provided to Prather.
State regulators don’t believe there are any abandoned wells or equipment that could have leaked the condensate, but are checking records and inspecting the area to be sure. Neslin said an old pipeline was removed and the area excavated and samples taken.
“It’s been a particularly complex situation because of the number of operators, the number of facilities. The topography is difficult,” Neslin said.
The area about 200 miles west of Denver has valleys and mountains. The state has also investigated recent spills from drilling waste pits in the area.
