CO / county FIPS 08045 / county research

Garfield County, Colorado: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Garfield County is 119.8 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 1,991 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (1,375), Industrial wastewater discharge (256), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (194). One correctional facility operates in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 39.7682, -107.5261.

How this county ranks in Colorado

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Garfield County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	34.1	23.8	1.43xSignificant	28 to 41.2	2019-2023
Leukemia	Deaths	7.2	5.7	1.26x	4.3 to 11.2	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	5.3	4.4	1.2x	3.1 to 8.6	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	20.7	18.5	1.12x	15.7 to 26.7	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	20.2	18.7	1.08x	15.5 to 26	2019-2023
Thyroid	New cases	13.9	13	1.07x	10 to 18.8	2019-2023
Brain & nervous system	New cases	5.7	6.2	0.92x	3.4 to 8.9	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	401.7	453.4	0.89x	379.9 to 424.4	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	9.5	11.3	0.84x	6.3 to 13.8	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	119.8	143.2	0.84x	107.6 to 133	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	5.4	6.6	0.82x	3.1 to 8.6	2020-2024
Leukemia	New cases	11.4	14.5	0.79x	7.9 to 15.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	10.5	13.9	0.76x	7.1 to 15	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	6.3	8.7	0.72x	4 to 9.6	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	12.2	17.9	0.68x	8.6 to 16.9	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	30	51.8	0.58x	24.4 to 36.6	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	15.8	30.2	0.52x	11.7 to 21	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Garfield County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,090.1	9,842.6	-38%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80	75.3	+6%	years
Child mortality	45.3	59.8	-24%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	3.9	6.2	-37%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	92.6	96.9	-5%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	18.4	28.6	-36%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde13.94 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.39 per million
Naphthalene1.12 per million
Acetaldehyde1.09 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 252 good, 1 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 47, peak 131.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,991 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

Air permit holder (minor source)1,375
Industrial wastewater discharge256
NPDES wastewater discharge permit194
Rail grade crossing38
Gas station (mapped facility)35
Major air pollution source31
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)9
Small hazardous waste generator9
Heliport7
EPA air quality monitor6
Public airport4
Large greenhouse gas emitter4
Solar power plant4
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)4
Commercial airport2
Brownfield property2
Landfill (mapped facility)2
TRI reporting facility2
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)2
Correctional facility (prison or jail)1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Hydroelectric plant1
Gas power plant1
Scrapyard (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Bargath Parachute Gas Plant, Parachute
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Toluene, Benzene, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 15,355 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8163WBRGTH4289C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.7
Oxy Usa Wtp Lp - Conn Creek Gas, Parachute
Major air pollution source. Penalties $17,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110023145318 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Qb Energy Operating - Story Gulch C.S., Parachute 13.8 Mi. N Of
Major air pollution source. Penalties $71,750.
EPA FRS registry ID 110054884773 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Red Rock Gathering - Rifle Clough C.S., Rifle
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001965375 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Qb Energy Operating - Hunter Mesa, Rifle 3.2 Mi. Se Of
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022403567 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Bargath, Inc- Hyrup Prod Facility, Parachute
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024518903 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Bargath Parachute Gas Plant, Parachute
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064733294 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Multi-Chem Group Rifle Co Facility, Rifle
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Methanol, Toluene, Ethylene glycol, Certain glycol ethers. 2,328 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8165WMLTCH194CU (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Bargath, Inc- Hyrup Prod Facility, Parachute
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110024518903 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Multi-Chem Group Rifle, Co Facility, Rifle
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071284144 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
City Of Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs 3.2 Mi. W Of
Major air pollution source. Penalties $2,100.
EPA FRS registry ID 110066860659 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
El Rocko Mhp, Garfield County
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110006657803 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Mcclane Canyon Mine, Loma
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110007351150 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
West Rifle Pit, Rifle
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009127630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Garfield County Landfill, Rifle
Major air pollution source. Penalties $3,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010420295 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
South Canyon Landfill, Glenwood Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110013923754 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Williams Production Rmt - Starkey Gulch, Unk
Major air pollution source. Penalties $14,875.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014031172 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Tep Rocky Mtn - Rulison Water Management, Rifle 3.6 Mi. W Of
Major air pollution source. Penalties $28,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110021035752 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Ranch At Roaring Fork Hoa, Carbondale
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022552281 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Rifle Reg. Ww Reclamation Fac., Rifle
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033164055 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Trade Center Auto Recyclers, Rifle
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046316679 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
West Garfield County Landfill, Rifle
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055254763 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Savage Services Rifle, Rifle
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064413497 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
South Canyon Landfill, Glenwood Springs
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064629898 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
5 Mile Pit, Parachute
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110069995522 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

Rifle Correctional Center, Rifle
EPA FRS registry ID
110009067552
Water system
CO0123677
Health-based violations
0 all time, 0 in 5 years
All violations
79
Wastewater permit
Yes, 12 quarters in noncompliance
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Garfield County

Colorado state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Garfield County, and their findings.
Colorado vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
Colorado health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
Colorado environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
Colorado drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

Scan an address in Garfield County View on the heat map All Colorado counties