PUBLIC DOMAIN
With warmer temperatures, ozone pollution returns to Boulder County
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t’s almost summer, which means those of us who live along the Front Range ought to prepare for high ozone days. On May 28, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued the year’s first “ozone action day alert” — that is, it was hot and sunny, culminating in ozone concentrations reaching levels that are unsafe for sensitive groups. Any hope that stay-at-home orders during the pandemic might quell the release of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to ground-level ozone creation, should be tempered, according to Collin Tomb, air and climate team lead at Boulder County Public Health. “While we did see an improvement to air quality from reduced commuter traffic during the stayat-home order,” Tomb said in a statement, “the move to some people returning to the office may make those improvements short-lived. Air pollut-
ants from vehicles, together with those associated with the extraction, burning and manufacturing of fossil fuels, are the cause of our especially high ozone.” Boulder County recently received an “F” grade from the American Lung Association for its high levels of ozone. According to Boulder County, “Breathing ground-level ozone can cause symptoms such as coughing, throat irritation, pain, burning, tightness or discomfort in the chest, and wheezing or shortness of breath. Long-term exposure to ozone causes more frequent and severe asthma attacks, increased hospitalizations, and higher rates of illness and death.” If you’re concerned about how state and local officials are addressing ozone pollution, submit comments ahead of the June 18 Colorado Air Quality Control Commission meeting by emailing cdphe.aqcc-comments@state.co.us. GILLFOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Goodbye, environmental protections THE TRUMP administration has dealt another blow to key environmental protections in the U.S.
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n June 4, President Trump signed an executive order that allows federal agencies to assert “emergency” powers to expedite the construction of environmentally damaging pipeline, highway and other infrastructure projects without environmental review. The order allows companies and regulators to skirt key environmental review procedures outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to push projects through, using a provision in NEPA that allows for such conduct during national emergencies. The administration has been chipping away at NEPA and other environmental protections, drawing the ire of environmentalists, concerned citizens and communities that will be most affected by the rollbacks. 12
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County study compares emissions between marijuana grow sites
“A public health crisis is not an excuse to drill, mine and pave our public lands, and the American people won’t fall for it,” said Center for Western Priorities Policy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn in a statement. “This order will almost certainly increase environmental injustice across America. Pipelines, highways and mines have significant impacts on communities, particularly communities of color. This executive order will limit or eliminate the ability of those communities to have input on projects that put the health of children and seniors at risk.” Susan Jane Brown, the wildlands program director with the Western Environmental Law Center, Added bluntly: “This recent executive action cements the Trump administration’s legacy as the most callous and brutal regime in modern times.”
JUNE 11, 2020
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annabis grown in Boulder County greenhouses use about 30% less energy than plants grown in indoor facilities, according to a new assessment released by Boulder County’s Cannabis Energy Impact Offset Fund and Energy Resources Solutions. The report provided recommendations for CANNABIS TOURS/ cannabis WIKIMEDIA COMMONS growers in Boulder County to reduce costs, lower carbon footprints and maximize production. Some key findings from the report: While indoor grow facilities are more electricity-intensive due to their reliance on artificial lighting, greenhouse-grown cannabis actually requires more fuel due to lower yields in the greenhouses. Still, greenhouse facilities are 70% more productive than indoor grow sites, when considering productivity through the lens of how much carbon dioxide is emitted to produce a gram of product. Research done locally like this will help Boulder County producers keep up with market trends nationwide, as more states legalize marijuana. “As the cannabis industry matures and nationwide market competition increases, it will be imperative for Boulder County cannabis cultivators to make data-driven decisions that lead to energy savings while maintaining or increasing their productivity levels,” said Dave Hatchimonji, energy efficiency program manager at Boulder County, in a statement. This “report should give these organizations a foot up on their peers, while addressing Boulder County’s need to lower the carbon emissions for this energy-intensive industry.” BOULDER COUNTY’S INDEPENDENT VOICE
