Steamboat Today
January 24, 2012, Tom Ross

Yampa Valley residents with concerns about the potential impacts of energy exploration on air, water and soil quality are invited to attend a meeting Tuesday in Steamboat Springs featuring a presentation by Kent Kuster, who serves as the oil and gas liaison for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment. Routt County Environmental Health Director Mike Zopf said Tuesday that he doesn’t think the Department of Public Health does enough to communicate its role in regulating the oil and gas industry at the local level. Zopf is hopeful that in addition to Kuster, the Department of Public Health division directors for air quality control, water quality control and hazardous materials and waste management will participate via conference call. “People can expect to hear what the state is doing in terms of regional air quality impacts,” Zopf said. “We know there are emissions at the drilling, development and production phases. I expect to hear more about the three state studies undertaken by Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.” Members of the public attending the meeting will be invited to comment and submit questions. Zopf has a list of 41 questions of his own and submitted them to the Department of Public Health and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission....

http://m.steamboattoday.com/news/2012/jan/24/state-health-official-discuss-oil-gas-routt-county/