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 EPA Files Suit Against Colorado Operator

On June 26, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed suit against a Colorado operator in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Specifically, the suit alleges that the operator failed to ensure that vapor control systems on 86 batteries of storage tanks were sufficiently retaining volatile organic compounds. The suit represents one of the first post-Obama enforcement actions by EPA concerning the Oil and Gas National Enforcement Initiative. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and penalties each day each violation occurred. Even if only one violation occurred per day, EPA’s requested damages would exceed $150 million.