Eagle County ‘moving away’ from taking oil and gas drilling waste

Eagle County’s solid waste and recycling director this week clarified through a spokeswoman that he is not currently considering accepting pit liners from any oil and gas companies in Colorado and that such a decision would have to be made by the Eagle County commissioners. In response to a Colorado Independent story last week, Eagle County solid waste and recycling director Ken Whitehead also pointed out his department has recommended no longer accepting any type of so-called E&P (exploration and production) waste from oil and gas companies.

Eagle County landfill eyes taking gas-drilling pit liners banned by Garfield County

Eagle County’s landfill manager is considering disposing of natural gas drilling pit liners that neighboring Garfield County stopped accepting two years ago because the massive, high-density polyethylene sheets are potentially toxic and too tough to handle.

Colorado Petroleum Association drops petition to roll back state’s pit liner rule

The Colorado Petroleum Association (CPA) today dropped its bid to get the state to roll back its rule for proper disposal of pit liners used in the oil and gas drilling process. Rule 905 was one of the revised oil and gas drilling regulations most criticized by the industry after the new, more environmentally stringent rules went into effect in the spring of 2009. The CPA withdrew its petition at today’s Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) meeting, eliciting praise from the environmental community.

Hickenlooper position on pit liner regs specific to one area of state

A spokesman for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s gubernatorial campaign late Monday took exception with a Colorado Independent blog post earlier in the day questioning the mayor’s recent statements about pit liner regulations related to the oil and gas industry.…

Despite recyling success, Williams opposes new pit-liner rule

One of the new oil and gas rules the industry finds most objectionable compels operators to remove and properly dispose of massive plastic pit liners used to contain toxic drilling fluids. Operators have previously simply buried the liners in…

State backlogged with gas contamination cases dating back years

Despite a record fine of $390,000 levied last month against Oxy USA, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) has a backlog of unresolved water and soil contamination cases resulting from natural gas drilling in northwest Colorado, a Colorado Independent investigation reveals.

Penry-passed pit-liner bill to protect groundwater upheld by Denver judge

A bill mandating stricter handling of oil and gas brine that was passed in 2008 by strange bedfellows Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, in the state Senate and Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, in the House was upheld by a Denver District…

Afternoon News Nuggets: 13 July 2009

Dug up fresh, daily.

THIN AIR, BIG THOUGHTS: At last week’s Aspen Ideas Fest, Google’s Eric Schmidt on economic evolution and the hurdle created from the cozy relationship between incumbent businesses and regulators: “High-tech works three times…