energy Consulting firm
Ardor
Ardor Environmental is a trusted regulatory compliance consulting firm specializing in environmental solutions for the oil and gas industry. We provide expert guidance on transactional due diligence, permitting, compliance, and regulatory reporting to local, state, and federal agencies across the U.S. Our team is committed to helping clients navigate complex environmental regulations while ensuring operational efficiency and compliance.
Ardor  /ˈärdər/  enthusiasm or passion.
Meet the Team
​Ardor personnel work throughout the rocky mountain region providing an array of regulatory support to assist your company with environmental compliance from conception to closure.
Trisha Fanning is the President and owner of Ardor Environmental LLC. which was founded in January 2020. Ms. Fanning has over twenty-five years regulatory compliance experience managing numerous environmental projects throughout the United States. Trisha provides technical environmental regulatory expertise focusing on water, waste and air regulations for energy and manufacturing industries.
Ms. Fanning has substantial Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) compliance and permitting expertise. She has conducted several comprehensive compliance audits under the ECMC’s penalty framework and has worked to develop robust compliance programs. Trisha also represents oil and gas clients in stakeholder meetings, commission hearings, enforcement, and litigation proceedings throughout the US.
Prior to starting Ardor in 2020, Ms. Fanning was the founder of Small Operator Society (SOS), which was created to represent privately owned oil and gas companies during the rulemakings associated to Colorado Senate Bill 19-181 passed back in April 2019. Currently, Ms. Fanning is the Executive Director of Colorado OG Society, a trade organization representing privately owned oil and gas companies operating in Colorado. Trisha is currently on the Board of Directors for Denver Petroleum Club (DPC), previously served on the Board of Advisors for Western Energy Alliance (WEA) and was a past president of Rocky Mountain Association of Environmental Professionals (RMAEP).
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Trisha Fanning
President and Owner
Ms. Donahue has nearly twenty years permitting and regulatory compliance experience in the Rocky Mountain region. She has been responsible for planning and permitting oil and gas locations; developing and updating operational plans to comply with the most current regulations, such as mechanical integrity testing and flowline integrity management; and overseeing environmental compliance programs for water (SPCC, SWPP, BWQ).
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She has substantial experience with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (previously known as Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission), Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and the Bureau of Land Management. She has permitted multiple projects with local, state, and federal agencies. She has managed several NEPA projects through to approval. She uses creative techniques to balance operators’ needs and agencies’ requests, which has earned her a positive relationship with regulatory agencies.
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Additionally she has partnered with the Denver Botanic Gardens to evaluate and study federally endangered plant species on the Western Slope of Colorado.
Jessica Donahue
Sr. Permitting & Compliance Specialist
With 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Ms. Barnett has developed a deep expertise in geological operations and regulatory compliance, with a focus on projects throughout the United States. Ms. Barnett studied Geologic Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. Prior to joining Ardor, she was an Operations Geologist, managing active drilling programs and offering key testimony during North Dakota Permitting Hearings.
Ms. Barnett has been with Ardor for the past two years and focuses on a wide range of responsibilities including General Colorado Compliance, Financial Assurance, Remedial Projects, Reclamation, Variances, and Permitting. She also plays a key role in assisting with the preparation of NOAV (Notice of Alleged Violation) responses.
In addition to her technical expertise, Ms. Barnett is Stormwater Management Certified and conducts Stormwater Inspections for various clients, ensuring compliance and environmental stewardship.
Amber Barnett
Geologic Engineer
Mackenzie Smith has joined the Ardor Environmental team as a Petroleum Engineer, bringing more than eight years of expertise in the oil and gas industry. A graduate in Petroleum Engineering Mathematics from The University of Tulsa, Mackenzie began her career in Midland, TX, as a Frac Engineer. Over the course of three years, she developed a deep specialization in high-pressure downhole operations. As the first female lead engineer at her previous company, she successfully supervised the fracturing of two of the highest IP wells in the Delaware Basin at the time, cementing her reputation for excellence in the field.
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Mackenzie then moved into a role as a Production and Operations Engineer at a small operator in Denver, CO, specializing in coalbed methane (CBM) production in the Raton Basin. There, she expanded her knowledge of downhole operations and played a pivotal role in managing the economic reporting for the nitrogen foam recompletion program. This initiative aimed at optimizing existing wellbores, minimizing ground disturbance, and maximizing profit margins.
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During this period, Mackenzie also worked closely with ECMC commissioners, staff, and regulators, educating them on the key differences between CBM and traditional oil well operations through field tours, stakeholder presentations, and rulemaking hearings. She dedicated five years to the optimization of agricultural-grade CBM water resources for fire mitigation across Colorado.
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Mackenzie brings to the Ardor team a wealth of knowledge in subsurface oil and gas operations, hydraulic fracturing, geothermal energy, water disposal, and seismicity, making her a valuable addition to the team.
mackenzie smith
Petroleum Engineer