Pondera commissioners request one‑year EPA extension to investigate Montalban permit after Valier wastewater concerns

Pondera County commissioners voted to request that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extend the public comment period for Montalban Oil & Gas Operations’ application for a Level 5 permit by one year so county and state departments can complete additional industrial wastewater sampling, lab validation and research.

Resolution #23 (adopted Jan. 17, 2024) directs county staff to send a letter to Ms. VelRey A. Lozano and Mr. Douglas Minter at the EPA requesting an extension to one year from Jan. 3, 2024. The resolution states the county’s interest in protecting surface and groundwater and in validating industrial wastewater sampling and laboratory results.

During the Jan. 31 minutes, public commenter Angela Otero requested transparency from all companies involved in Valier wastewater operations and raised concerns about wastewater dumping outside Valier. The minutes record the comment but do not show a formal county response in that segment; the EPA‑extension resolution was the formal county action recorded in the minutes to allow additional review.

The minutes do not include technical sampling results or EPA correspondence; they record only the Board’s request for an extended comment period and the public comment asking for transparency.