Weld County

The Weld County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is continuing to work with the regulatory agencies during the remediation of the Bishop Well incident and will continue to work with the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment to monitor the cleanup.

Weld County OEM is the Designated Emergency Response Authority for unincorporated Weld County. This designation means the OEM will coordinate with state and federal agencies on the recovery and will work with Chevron to reimburse for the expenses of the emergency response.

Weld OEM will also work closely with the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, the Weld County Oil and Gas Energy Department (OGED), and Chevron during the investigation to identify any information that will help support any needed changes to Weld County's emergency plans or processes for well pads.

If you have questions about OEM’s role and responsibility, please contact Roy Rudisill, Director, Weld County OEM at rrudisill@weld.gov or 970-304-6540.

The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment’s (WCDPHE) role is a facilitator in conjunction with the efforts of other agencies and corporations during the recovery and remediation of the Bishop Well incident. 

WCDPHE is dedicated to protecting Weld County residents' health and safety by providing the public with accurate information about the incident, potential risks, and recommended safety measures from a public health perspective.

It's responsibilities include facilitating the direction of measures in air quality monitoring and environmental recovery efforts, providing free well water quality testing for volatile organic compounds (VOC), conducting unbiased evaluations of scientific results, and providing expert advice to community partners.

For free well-water testing for VOCs, please call the WCDPHE Laboratory Manager, Katrina Alsum, at 970-400-2278 or visit the laboratory’s testing programs webpage.

If you have questions about WCDPHE’s role and responsibility, please contact Peter Graham, WCDPHE Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, at pgraham@weld.gov or 970-400-2276.

The Weld County Oil and Gas Energy Department (OGED) is actively monitoring the ongoing situation at the Chevron Bishop site. The department remains in close collaboration with the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) and its technical teams to ensure all necessary oversight, safety protocols, and environmental protections are being strictly followed.

OGED is also maintaining direct communication with Chevron to ensure its full compliance with the requirements set forth under the 1041 Weld County Oil and Gas Location Assessment (WOGLA) permit. This includes the timely and transparent sharing of all relevant data, such as groundwater sampling, soil sampling, and any additional environmental monitoring results. This information is critical in assessing the extent of any impact and in guiding appropriate response measures.

OGED staff want to assure the public that the department takes this matter seriously. The team is committed to upholding Weld County’s standards for environmental stewardship, operational accountability, and community safety.

Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of Weld County residents — and all Coloradans — remains its highest priority. OGED will continue to provide updates and work in close partnership with state regulators, industry stakeholders, and the community to ensure that this issue is addressed thoroughly and responsibly.

If you have questions about OGED’s role and responsibility, please contact Brett Cavanagh, Director, at bcavanagh@weld.gov or 970-400-3579.

On Sunday, April 6, 2025, the Weld County Communications and Public Information Office was asked to assist the Galeton Fire Protection District in initial communications about the incident at the Bishop Well site. This assistance was incorporated into the Incident Command framework through the Joint Information Center (JIC). This allowed for information relating to this event to be compiled and disseminated to the public through the Weld County website, including a specific page for the Bishop Well Incident and the county’s Facebook and X pages.

Two public call lines were established in the JIC. One for the public and media to leave questions. The other provided a recording of the most recent update.

While the Unified Command responding to the emergency event has demobilized, the county will continue to serve as a resource for residents impacted by this event by providing information and contacts through this webpage.

If you have questions about the Weld County Communications and Public Information Department’s role and responsibility, please contact Jennifer Finch, Public Information Officer, at jfinch@weld.gov or 970-400-4264 (for questions about the Bishop Well Incident) and 970-400-4210 (to listen to the recorded update).