Governor Polis Toured Enterprise Products Spill Site
Colorado's governor visited tribal land to assess ongoing remediation efforts for a large gasoline spill.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Governor Jared Polis visited the site of an Enterprise Products gasoline spill on Southern Ute tribal land this week. The visit comes amid significant discrepancies between the company's spill estimates and independent analysis conducted by the tribe.
Why it matters
The visit underscores a commitment to the government-to-government relationship with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe while addressing risks to the Las Animas River. Officials aim to ensure remediation efforts accurately reflect the total volume of spilled fuel.
Enterprise Products reported 97,000 gallons spilled, while the Southern Ute Indian Tribe estimates the volume at 200,000 gallons. To date, 70,000 gallons of gasoline have been removed from the site using a soil vapor extraction system.
The players
Jared Polis
Jared Polis is the current Governor of Colorado who visited the site to coordinate remediation oversight.
Enterprise Products
Enterprise Products is the energy company legally responsible for the site remediation.
Southern Ute Indian Tribe
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe manages the land where the spill occurred and conducted an independent analysis of the site.
John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper is a United States Senator who toured the spill site in August 2026.
The details
The spill, which began in December 2024, has created a plume moving at a rate of 8 to 10 feet per day. This contamination currently sits within three tenths of a mile of the Animas River, prompting oversight from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the EPA.
Timeline
The gasoline spill initially occurred in December 2024.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe released an independent analysis of the incident in May 2026.
United States Senator John Hickenlooper toured the spill site in August 2026.
Governor Jared Polis visited the location on October 6, 2026.
Market Landscape
The spill remediation operates under the strict oversight framework established by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the EPA. This incident highlights the operational risks inherent in energy infrastructure management and the evolving expectations for corporate accountability.
The ongoing remediation work has minimal direct impact on the daily fuel prices or shopping habits of local residents. However, continued monitoring of the Las Animas River is critical to ensuring the safety of local water resources for the community.
The takeaway
The spill site requires multi-year remediation efforts to safely extract the estimated volume of gasoline. Residents should continue to follow official updates from state and federal agencies regarding the safety of local water supplies.
Further reading
For additional context on regional energy infrastructure, visit the Colorado Oil and Gas section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Durango Herald.
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