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Rio Blanco County, Colorado: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Rio Blanco County is 142.4 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. Federal databases place 680 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by Air permit holder (minor source) (496), Industrial wastewater discharge (80), NPDES wastewater discharge permit (63). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 10 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: 39.9607, -108.1849.

How this county ranks in Colorado

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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 Rio Blanco County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
All cancer	Deaths	142.4	143.2	0.99x	107.4 to 185.9	2020-2024
All cancer	New cases	405.9	453.4	0.9x	342.8 to 477.8	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	New cases	37	51.8	0.71x	20.9 to 62	2019-2023

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 Rio Blanco County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	5,865.6	9,842.6	-40%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	78.7	75.3	+5%	years
Child mortality	n/a	59.8	n/a	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	90.5	96.9	-7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	n/a	28.6	n/a	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 10 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde9.63 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.43 per million
Acetaldehyde0.67 per million
Benzene0.56 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2024

Monitored on 366 days: 266 good, 4 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 46, peak 142.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

Air permit holder (minor source)496
Industrial wastewater discharge80
NPDES wastewater discharge permit63
Major air pollution source8
Heliport6
Gas station (mapped facility)4
Brownfield property3
Large greenhouse gas emitter3
EPA air quality monitor2
Public airport2
TRI reporting facility2
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)2
Airfield1
Commercial airport1
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)1
Small hazardous waste generator1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
Hydroelectric plant1
Solar power plant1
Rail grade crossing1
Wastewater plant (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.

Enterprise Gas Proc - Meeker Gas Plant, Rifle
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Benzene, n-Hexane, Xylene (mixed isomers) and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 65,723 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8164WNTRPRSEC18 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 8.2
Willow Creek Gas Plant, Rifle
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: n-Hexane, Benzene. Reports carcinogens. 10,460 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 8165WWLLWC2219C (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.6
Dragon Trail Gas Processing Plant, Rangely
Major air pollution source. Penalties $87,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000718019 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Enterprise Gas Proc - Meeker Gas Plant, Meeker 21.1 Mi. W Of
Major air pollution source. Penalties $1,010,500.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071722495 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7.5
Bargath - Ryan Gulch Compressor Station, Meeker 23.2 Mi. W Of
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110020579729 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Williams Field - Willow Creek Gas Plant, Meeker
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110037575996 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Enterprise Gas Proc - Meeker Gas Plant, Meeker, 21.4 Mi W Of
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110023148084 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Willow Creek Gas Plant, Rifle
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110056938943 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.6
Buffalo Horn Properties, Rio Blanco County
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039174452 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Meeker Airport, Meeker
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046319809 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Rbc Rangely Airport 4vo, Rangely
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110046319818 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Amick Pit, Meeker
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070051622 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.5
Blue Mountain Energy - Deserado Mine, Rangely
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110001973035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Ugc Midstream - Foundation Creek Cs, Rangely
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110001972296 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
West Texas - Piceance Creek Gp, Meeker
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110007078410 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Red Rock Gathering - Greasewood, Rangely
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110010304786 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Ugc Midstream - N. Douglas Gas Plt, Rangely
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110010304795 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Exxon Mobil Corporation, Meeker 16.6 Mi. Sw Of
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110021161357 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Rangely Wwtp, Rangely
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110055976877 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Shults Gravel Pit, Meeker
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070063554 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Sleepy Cat Gravel Pit, Meeker
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110070063570 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4
Blue Mountain Energy - Deserado Mine, Rangely
Air permit holder (minor source).
EPA FRS registry ID 110001973035 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Rangely, Golf Course, Rangely
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 081030006 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 3.7
Colorado Interstate Gas Co - Greasewood, Rangely
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110022507394 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5
Enterprise Gas-Piceance Dev. Project, Rifle
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110033645367 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.5

Correctional facilities

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

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Rio Blanco 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 Rio Blanco 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.

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