A Denver-based energy company reached a $22.2 million settlement in a federal court case with the state of Colorado, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stemming from clean-air violations.

PDC Energy said it would spend the money to improve air-emission controls on oil storage tanks in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in Eastern Colorado.

The company will invest $18 million to upgrade emissions-control systems, improve operations and do a better job of maintenance, monitoring and inspections, the EPA said.

PDC also agreed to spend $1.7 million at some sites to further reduce emissions plus a $2.5 million civil penalty divided by the state and federal authorities

“This agreement will result in cleaner air in the Denver area and shows that EPA is committed to enforcing the law in order to ensure public health is protected,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in a statement.

“This case exemplifies the strong partnerships with states that are integral to delivering results for American communities and finding solutions that build compliance with the law and prevent future violations.”

The company expects to make improvements through 2022.

“The settlement represents baby steps, but steps in the right direction,” Environment Colorado director Garrett Garner-Wells said in a statement. “Long term, Colorado must address the damage that extractive industries do to our well-being and environment. We can and must move away from these dirty fossil fuels and toward a clean energy future.”

The complaint was filed in June, and PDC Energy president and CEO Bart Brookman said in a statement Tuesday that the agreement was the product of “cooperative conversations with state and EPA regulators and builds upon our years of proactive work.”

“We have put a plan in place that will continue to reduce PDC’s air emissions in Colorado’s DJ Basin and reflects our strong commitment to protecting Colorado’s environment,” he stated.