February 9, 2026
The Division of Oil and Public Safety (OPS) began working with the EPA and CDPHE regarding a report of petroleum contamination in Culebra Creek near San Luis on January 15, 2026. An OPS inspector met with the U.S. EPA and Costilla County representatives to investigate potential sources of the contamination, including potential gas stations regulated by OPS.
OPS has narrowed the investigation to focus on the Central Oil gas station on Main St. in San Luis. OPS has confirmed the station had a release from their facility. OPS is now working to determine whether or not a product line failure during that release allowed fuel to migrate off site and is causing the contamination in Culebra Creek. The product line failure was quickly repaired and is no longer releasing fuel to the environment.
OPS and their environmental consultant are collaborating with the EPA, CDOT, the Town of San Luis, and Costilla County to gain access to underground drainage systems in the area, address the source of the petroleum contamination to Culebra Creek, and verify the Responsible Party (RP), which is pointing towards the Central Oil gas station. OPS anticipates the drain scoping and assessment to be completed by Friday, February 13, 2026.
The EPA is beginning to transition creek protection and remediation efforts to OPS and its environmental consultant, while source identification and remediation continue. Artesian well sampling in the area indicated that petroleum contaminants of concern were not detected.