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Cathy Proctor

Reporter- Denver Business Journal

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Three of Colorado's biggest oil and gas companies and a national environmental group are maintaining their support of new, tighter regulations the state is proposing.

The rules are meant to cut pollution from wells, pipelines and processing plants and improve air quality across the state.

Representatives of Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL), Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) and the Environmental Defense Fund, an advocacy group, on Thursday held a media briefing to reiterate their support of the proposed air quality rules put forward by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Air Pollution Control Division.

The proposed rules are expected to cut emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which cause ozone destruction, by about 93,500 tons per year.

They're also expected to reduce leaks of methane and ethane by about 65,000 tons per year, according to the state.

The state's Air Quality Control Commission will hold three days of hearings on the proposed air quality rules Feb. 19-21 at the Aurora city council chambers.

The site was selected because it has more room than the health department's other meeting areas, and its possible to webcast the hearings from the council chambers, according to state officials.

A representative from the third company, Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA), that worked with state officials last fall to craft a set of proposed air rules, wasn't at the meeting, but a spokesman reiterated the company's support for the effort.

"The proposed rules provide common sense measures to help Colorado proactively reduce ozone levels while maintaining the cleanest and safest oil and gas industry in the country," Encana spokesman Doug Hock said via email.

Cathy Proctor covers energy, the environment, transportation and construction for the Denver Business Journal and edits the weekly "Energy Inc." newsletter. Phone: 303-803-9233. Subscribe to the Energy Inc. newsletter