like they used to say in ec comics -
"Good lord! (choke!)"
Soaring smog-forming emissions tied to exploding exploration of oil and gas northeast of Denver threaten to push up metro-area ozone levels, jeopardizing the region's ability to stay within federal clean air limits.
New projections show booming drilling business in Weld and Adams counties will generate smog-forming emissions in 2007 at levels 61 percent ahead of earlier expectations for those activities, a forecast that will likely force state regulators to impose sweeping controls on the industry.
Watching closely is the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which has agreed to declare the Denver area a clean air region for ozone if it stays within health limits for the pollutant over the summers of 2005, 2006 and 2007.
An official at the agency warned the industry to reel in emissions or it would jeopardize clean air progress.
"I think it's extremely important that the industry come to grips with this, because the consequences of lapsing into (dirty air) status would be rather devastating," said Richard Long, head of air programs for the EPA's regional office in Denver.
There's also a "good science" sighting - "good science," the Front Range-dwelling cousin of "sound science":
An industry spokesman, however, questioned how many more emission controls oil and gas operators should have to install, and suggested that, in the big picture, drillers account for just a tiny fraction of ozone-forming compounds.
"I hope the process will be informed by good science, and the science I have seen to date (shows) that (oil and gas) is not a significant part of the ozone formation," said Ken Wonstolen, executive vice president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association.
Perhaps some of this good science will come up with a good replacement for my nose and mouth, too.
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