Exploring Fossil Fuel Pollution and Related Health Impacts

Focusing in on Colorado

This story map explores some aspects of high levels of ground-level ozone pollution and related health issues.

Pollution

Ground-level ozone is dangerous to humans and other life. It is created when pollutants from cars, power plants, and other sources react in the presence of sunlight.

"Nine-county region fails to achieve health limits for ozone pollution set in 2008". [in 2021] (and again in 2022). - Colorado Newsline.

The Denver Metro area has been above safe ground-level ozone standards since at least 2008.

"...from Moderate to Serious nonattainment..." - EPA

Ground-level ozone levels have continued to increase. In 2022, The EPA downgraded the Denver Metro area from 'Moderate' to 'Serious'.

The following map shows

Ozone Nonattainment Area, Climate Change Disadvantaged Census Tracts, Fossil Fuel Power Plants and the Suncor Petroleum refinery

A Climate Change Disadvantaged Census Tract is a small area of land  that the U.S. Government has identified as expecting either agriculture loss, building loss, population loss, or as having flood or wildfire risk while also experiencing low income.  For more information, see the Council on Environmental Quality. Sources: CEQ, EIA, EPA, Esri, Global Power Plant Database

"Oil & Gas Companies Aren’t Required To Directly Measure Their Air Pollution." - Colorado Times Recorder.

It is has been established that the oil & gas industry is the leading cause of ozone nonattainment; yet, Colorado doesn't require oil & gas companies to measure all of the pollutants that are emitted from their wells and the reporting values are not cumulative. As citizens, we see and feel the the effects, but the source is often hidden.

The public often isn't aware of how many violations there are in a year from oil and gas extraction.

The following screenshot of a dashboard shows

1100+ Spills That Occurred in 2022 - Many Between Denver and Fort Collins

Screenshot of spills in Colorado in 2022, taken from COGCC Dashboard

It is also often surprising to many citizens how many wells there actually are.

The following map shows

The Density of Wells in Small Section of the State - Denver is near the bottom and Fort Collins is Near the Top

Screenshot of wells and permits for wells along the Front Range, taken from COGCC GISOnline


Health

"...emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), ... lead to dozens of deaths in Colorado each year..." - Colorado Fiscal Institute

High levels of ground-level ozone worsens a number of respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic obtrusive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well as stroke in humans, and makes it unsafe for many people to be outside on certain days. High levels of ground-level ozone also interferes with photosynthesis making it difficult for plants to clean the air.

"Ground-level ozone is a lung irritant linked to many health problems, including asthma, lower birth weights and premature death". - Colorado Public Radio

The following map shows

The Prevalence of Adult Stroke, Asthma, and COPD

Sources: CDC, Esri, U.S. Census Bureau




Explore For Yourself

The following interactive map combines all of the pollution and health data from the previous sections into a single map and allows you to pan, zoom, and turn layers on and off. Click on the map to explore

Exploring Fossil Fuel Pollution and Related Health Impacts

Source: CDC, CEQ, EIA, EPA, Esri, Global Power Plant Database, U.S. Census Bureau



The following interactive dashboard from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) allows you to explore information about oil and gas well permits for he following categories. Click on the dashboard below to see information on: Pending Permits, Well Status, Plugged Wells, Production, Inspections, NOAVs, Notifications, Spills, and Operator Changes

Daily Activity Dashboard - COGCC

Daily Activity Dashboard of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

The following interactive map from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) allows you to explore pending and approved oil and gas wells throughout the State of Colorado.

COGCC GIS Online

Interactive Permit Map of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission



Resources

  Clearing the Air: The Real Costs and Benefits of Oil and Gas for Colorado. The Colorado Fiscal Institute. 2023. https://www.coloradofiscal.org/costs-benefits-oil-and-gas-colorado/library/reports/?emci=f3af35b2-0f9c-ed11-994c-00224832eb73&emdi=80d4bb4b-a19d-ed11-994c-00224832eb73&ceid=3955236 

 Denver area again misses deadline to meet EPA air-quality standards. Colorado Newsline. 2021. https://coloradonewsline.com/2021/07/21/denver-area-again-misses-deadline-to-meet-epa-air-quality-standards/ 

 Environmentalist Flabbergasted That Oil & Gas Companies Aren't Required To Directly Measure Their Air Pollution. The Colorado Times Recorder. 2023. https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2023/03/oil-gas-companies-arent-required-to-directly-measure-their-air-pollution/52130/ 

 EPA reclassifies Denver area to “Serious” nonattainment for ozone. EPA. 2019.  https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-reclassifies-denver-area-serious-nonattainment-ozone  

 The EPA moves to declare the Front Range a ‘severe’ air quality violator. Here’s why that matters. Colorado Public Radio. 2022. https://www.cpr.org/2022/04/12/front-range-air-quality-ozone-violations-epa/ 

 Full list of mapping resources can be found in the metadata located here: https://qutazo.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=fc6cd1fd949245c3a6de35853bbdd4ed 

A Climate Change Disadvantaged Census Tract is a small area of land  that the U.S. Government has identified as expecting either agriculture loss, building loss, population loss, or as having flood or wildfire risk while also experiencing low income.  For more information, see the Council on Environmental Quality. Sources: CEQ, EIA, EPA, Esri, Global Power Plant Database

Screenshot of spills in Colorado in 2022, taken from COGCC Dashboard

Screenshot of wells and permits for wells along the Front Range, taken from COGCC GISOnline

Sources: CDC, Esri, U.S. Census Bureau