Colorado Gov. Jarid Polis has been sued by some environmental groups who contend his administration has taken too long in acting on some oil and gas drilling permits for Adams County.
The suits were filed recently by WildEarth Guardians and the Center for Biological Diversity. The two nonprofits claim the governor’s administration did not meet legally required deadlines to review and update pollution permits.
Adams County is on the east side of the city of Denver. The lawsuits identified the Wattenberg methane gas processing plant, the Sinclair Denver Products oil terminal, the Phillips 66 Denver oil terminal and the East Regional landfill.
The four operations sought updated operating permits between 2007 and 2020, but the lawsuits contend the state’s Air Pollution Control Division took longer than the 18-month limit to take action on the requests.
A spokesman for WildEarth Guardians charged the governor’s administration in effect is giving the oil and gas industry a “free pass to pollute.”
The representative of the group also said “polluters need to be held accountable” and the delay has to stop for the health of Coloradans and Colorado communities.
