Democratic Grand Junction Rep. Bernie Buescher said legislative leaders will allow him to introduce legislation this year to tighten the state’s regulation of energy industry wastewater pits.

“We have a signed late-bill authorization, and we’ve got a bill in drafting,” Buescher said. “It should be introduced (this) afternoon.”

Wastewater pits such as one operated south of De Beque by Black Mountain Disposal are where energy firms dump the liquid waste produced during the drilling process.

Buescher said the bill would include provisions requiring that commercial wastewater ponds be dug at least 1,000 feet from homes. The bill also would require that the commercial pits have double liners and that monitors perform air and water quality testing.

Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, said the bill, which he will sponsor in the Senate, would bring “parity and uniformity between the regulations.”

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission already regulates wastewater pits energy companies maintain at their oil and gas well sites.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s regulations for commercial pits, run by third parties, are much less stringent.

Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said he spoke prematurely over the weekend when he told The Daily Sentinel a wastewater pit bill would not come out this year.

“I think we’ve got a way to move forward,” Romanoff said.

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E-mail Mike Saccone at msaccone@gjds.com.