Serving the community since 1906
WEEK OF JULY 10, 2025
VOLUME 118 | ISSUE 28
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Chevron accused of violations in Weld well ‘blowout’ Families remain displaced after ‘unprecedented’ incident near Galeton BY CHASE WOODRUFF NEWSLINE COLORADO
The building features seven offices, a dispatch center, a dedicated training room for comprehensive staff training and multiple break rooms. Along with 37 full-size buses and two service trucks, the new site will house 20 of the district’s smaller buses, which are used to transport students with special needs. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 27J has seen about 10% annual growth in specialized transportation services, including those for ‘medically fragile students’ – children with chronic, lifethreatening health conditions requiring ongoing medical management and monitoring. The terminal also features a new automated bus wash system and dedicated laundry facilities for staff equipment. Crews recently finished installing furniture and are finalizing office setups ahead of the building’s opening.
Colorado regulators on Thursday launched an enforcement action against oil giant Chevron for an April well “blowout” that caused evacuations and closures in a community in eastern Weld County. Officials with the Energy and Carbon Management Commission said Thursday that some residents remain displaced from their homes in tiny Galeton, an unincorporated town of 250 people located about 10 miles northeast of Greeley, nearly three months after the incident at Chevron’s Bishop well pad. The well failure caused a highpressure flow of oil, gas and water to spew from the site for five days before emergency crews were able to bring it under control. With millions of gallons of fluid released, it’s believed to be one of the largest oil and gas spills in state history, and the resulting plume spread dangerous levels of toxic chemicals as far as two miles away, according to data from Colorado State University researchers. “I can say with certainty that this is significant and unprecedented during my tenure, not just in terms of volumes released … but in terms of complexity, in terms of scale of impact to environmental services, as well as residents,” said Jeff Robbins, who has served as chair of the fivemember ECMC board of commissioners since 2020. A so-called notice of alleged violation issued by ECMC staff to Chevron subsidiary Noble Energy lists six different breaches of the agency’s rules, initiating what is likely to be a lengthy regulatory enforcement action. The notice accuses Chevron of violating water quality standards, breaking employee safety rules, “fail(ing) to engineer and operate all equipment within the manufacturer’s recommended specifications,” and more. An initial analysis completed by Chevron earlier this month identified the root cause of the incident as “improper assembly” of on-site equipment by a contractor. A total of 16 oil
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A 27J Schools bus sits inside the new North Transportation Terminal in Brighton, where maintenance bays and equipment like portable lifts will support the district’s growing fleet. PHOTO COURTESY OF 27J SCHOOLS
Brighton-27J $10 million bus hub nearly complete BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
A new $10 million North Transportation Terminal in 27J Schools is nearly ready to open, offering critical space and resources to support the district’s growing enrollment and specialized transportation needs. The terminal, funded by the district’s $515 million bond approved in 2021, is set to provide much-needed space and resources for the transportation department as 27J continues to buck statewide trends of declining enrollment. While many Colorado districts are consolidating or closing schools due to shrinking student numbers, 27J stands out for its steady growth. With approximately 23,000 students enrolled across district and charter schools, 27J will soon complete construction of its sixth middle school, Talon Ridge, is building a new high school, and is considering additional elementary schools to accom-
modate families moving into the area. Kevin Denke, communications manager for the district, said the new transportation terminal is a direct response to that continued growth. “This building is really a product of that continued growth, especially within our transportation department,” Denke said. “It gives them breathing room.” Key features and staffing
Located on the north end of the district, the terminal will not replace 27J’s existing transportation hub on the south side but will expand operations to accommodate increasing demands. It includes maintenance bays, office space, break rooms and a large training area for paraeducators and bus drivers. According to district materials, the terminal will house between 70 and 75 drivers and paraprofessionals, four Fleet Department staff, and 11 to 12 Operations employees.
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