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Oil Company Says It's Trying To Meet Clean-Air Regulations

DENVER (AP) — An energy company accused of air pollution violations in Colorado says it's trying to comply with government regulations and is disappointed that state and federal agencies went to court seeking fines.

Denver-based PDC Energy said Wednesday it believes the allegations can be settled without a long court battle.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment filed a complaint in federal court Monday seeking fines of up to $110,000 a day from PDC.

Generic Jury Box, trial, gavel, court, courtroom
(credit: CBS)

The complaint didn't specify the total dollar amount the agencies are pursuing.

The EPA and the health department alleged that 86 of PDC's tank sites northeast of Denver are releasing more volatile organic compounds or VOCs than allowed.

Under the right conditions, VOCs can become ground-level ozone, a potentially harmful pollutant.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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