… This March, Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), which regulates the oil and gas industry, passed new rules requiring drillers to recycle more of their wastewater—a caustic, brackish and chemically laden byproduct of the drilling and fracking process known as “produced water.” The new rules were set in motion by HB23-1242, passed in 2023, which requires oil and gas extraction companies to use more recycled water, but do not address another key provision of the law: the increased recycling of produced water cannot cause more oil and gas emissions, which can contain CO2, methane, benzene, a known carcinogen, and other volatile organic compounds. Regulators across the state are trying to figure out whether meeting one requirement of the new law requires violating the other.

Other produced water news:

• Santa Fe New Mexican: State water commission decides to hear new case on fracking wastewater reuse
• Source New Mexico: Amid strong opposition, New Mexico water board lets plan for more oil and gas wastewater use proceed
• New Mexico Political Report: 25 New Mexico lawmakers oppose petition to allow oil and gas wastewater discharge
• The Taos News (N.M.): Local lawmakers: Reuse of treated oil and gas field wastewater good for NM