Rocky Mountain High – On VOCs

The Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the Natural Resources Defense Council have notified Kerr-McGee, who manager eleven natural gas compressors north of Denver, that they will be filing a lawsuit to reduce air pollution emissions produced by the company.

The compressors emit 2,200 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 400 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC) annually. NOx and VOC pollutants react with sunlight to form smog, which has shown to have harmful health effects such as asthma attacks. During the summer of 2006, smog levels were 66 times higher than national standards. The Kerr-McGee compressors emitted the annual equivalent in NOx of about 115,000 cars driven 12,500 per year.

As of 2004, the State of Colorado required Kerr-McGee to install emissions control technology on its engines, which compress natural gas from 3,600 natural gas wells. However the company has not complied with the regulations and the violations have not be resolved.

"The state has required oil and gas companies to install basic air pollution control equipment to help keep smog in check and leave our children better protected," said Nick Persampieri with Earthjustice. "It's unfortunate that Kerr-McGee has failed to comply with the state's requirements."

By installing catalytic converters, Kerr-McGee could cut their VOC emissions by 75 percent.

See the Source:
Earthjustice

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