Protecting our
Air Quality

Our members have been concerned about the air quality in Laramie County for several years with increasing industrial development. Our organization hears concerns associated with poor air quality from our members: respiratory issues, smoke alarms sounding in the night, and gastrointestinal and neurological health issues. CALC advocates for the best available technology to mitigate air pollution at the source, as well as continued monitoring of areas of Laramie County affected by industrial development.

View our 2020 Annual Meeting panel with experts on air quality discussing the impact of oil and gas air pollution on public health here.

Flaring and Venting

Flaring is the controlled burning of methane gas. It is a common practice in oil/gas exploration, production and processing operations. Flared gas is converted from methane to CO2 during combustion, but other compounds are also released. Air pollutants with the potential to harm human health, including benzene, can be released when gas is flared. Read more here.

Flaring is regulated by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Under Wyoming’s current regulations, operators can flare up to 60,000 cubic feet of gas per day.

If you are concerned about excessive flaring from a facility, submit a concern to us.

Venting is the direct release of methane gas to the atmosphere. Venting can occur throughout the oil and gas production process and frequently happens unintentionally through gas leaks. Vented gas is released directly into the atmosphere as methane, which has a more powerful warming effect than CO2. Because of methane’s contributions to climate change, it is critical that operators monitor and address leaking equipment in a timely manner.

Venting is regulated by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Under Wyoming’s current regulations, operators can knowingly vent up to 30,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day.

No. Wyoming Law Section §39-14-205 exempts flared and vented gas from the state’s 6% natural gas extraction severance tax. As a result, operators extracting oil can dispose of natural gas by burning it off free of charge. This practice robs Wyomingites of a valuable resource and cheats the state out of revenue.

Air Quality Monitoring

Department of Environmental Quality provides monitoring stations across Wyoming, to view the monitoring stations, click here. 

From November 2017-Summer 2020 Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has had a mobile air quality monitoring unit placed in eastern Laramie County among the greatest areas of oil and gas equipment. CALC has supported this monitoring station and advocated for enhancing the placement of the station to capture real-life impacts from living with oil and gas development. Read our comments to DEQ here.  Recently, the mobile air quality monitoring unit has been moved and is no longer serving Laramie County. 

Setback Distances

According to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) rules an oil and gas well,  measured from the center of the wellhead or the corner of any production facilities, should not be located closer than five hundred feet (500’) to the closest corner or wall of an existing home, business, or school. This is called a “setback” distance.

Companies working within 1,000 feet of a home to provide notice to surface owners and submit mitigation plans aimed at reducing dust, light, noise and traffic from operations at well sites.

What a “safe” setback distance from an oil and gas operation continues to be studied. Some recent studies suggest that those living within 2,000 feet of an oil and gas well may put you at greater risk for health impacts. 

  • April 2018- Ambient Non-methane Hydrocarbon Levels Along Colorado’s Northern Front Range: Acute and Chronic Health Risk– Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus . Study here.
  • October 2019- Final Report: Human Health Risk Assessment for Oil and Gas Operations in Colorado- Colorado State University. Study here.
  • November 2019–Congenital heart defects and intensity of oil and gas well site activities in early pregnancy-McKenzie et al.’ Study here.  
  • July 2020– Flaring from Unconventional Oil and Gas Development and Birth Outcomes in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. -University of California and University of Southern California. Study here.

Get in touch & Get Involved

Neighbors need to stick together 

Submit a Concern