Western Colorado counties press Polis for public response to Enterprise pipeline spill

Growing frustration about what officials call Gov. Jared Polis’ lack of public acknowledgment of the potential 200,000-gallon gasoline spill caused by a ruptured Enterprise Products pipeline in La Plata County prompted 16 Western Slope counties to cosign a letter calling for greater transparency, accountability and communication from the state. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)

Jerry McBride

×

Growing frustration about what officials call Gov. Jared Polis’ lack of public acknowledgment of the potential 200,000-gallon gasoline spill caused by a ruptured Enterprise Products pipeline in La Plata County prompted 16 Western Slope counties to cosign a letter calling for greater transparency, accountability and communication from the state. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)

Jerry McBride

The Western District of Colorado Counties Inc. sent a letter to Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on June 24 expressing concern about the 2024 Enterprise pipeline spill within the Southern Ute Indian Tribe reservation.

“We believe there is a need for improved communication and information sharing between state agencies, local governments, Tribal governments and the public,” the letter said. It was cosigned by representatives from 16 Western Slope counties, including the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners.

Some have referred to the spill as the largest in Colorado history and one of the largest in the nation. Disagreement remains about the total volume released. Enterprise Products continues to estimate the spill at about 94,000 gallons, while third-party experts hired by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe place the figure closer to 200,000 gallons.

The letter says the magnitude of the spill has raised significant concerns among multiple agency, economic and resident stakeholders throughout Southwest Colorado, not just within La Plata County. Because groundwater, surface water, private wells, agriculture and wildlife habitat are interconnected, the spill has the potential to affect the entire region.

Commissioners asked the state to continue coordinating with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration – the federal agency with primary oversight of the pipeline – along with Enterprise and other agencies to determine the cause of the failure, assess the condition of the remaining pipeline, and review inspection, maintenance and integrity management records supporting continued operation.

PHMSA is responsible for investigating the cause of the leak, but the status and scope of that investigation remain unclear.

The commissioners also requested a coordinated briefing on whether systemwide integrity assessments have been completed, whether corrosion or other age-related issues have been identified elsewhere on the pipeline, and what corrective actions are being taken to prevent similar incidents.

The letter also calls for greater transparency, including regular public briefings on cleanup progress, and asks Polis to publicly acknowledge the significance of the spill – something officials say he has not done since the rupture was discovered in 2024.

The governor’s lack of public acknowledgment has drawn criticism as estimates of the spill have continued to increase, rising from an initial estimate of about 23,000 gallons to as much as 200,000 gallons.

The letter says a public statement from Polis “would provide reassurance to affected communities and demonstrate the seriousness with which Colorado is approaching this event.”

CDPHE has responded to the letter and requested a meeting with CCI Western District leadership, said La Plata County Commissioner and Western District Vice Chair Matt Salka.

The meeting is tentatively scheduled for the week of Aug. 3 to allow Enterprise time to respond to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s differing spill data, Salka said in an email to The Durango Herald.

jbowman@durangoherald.com