SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
VOLUME 33 32
C I T Y
50cI
44 ISSUE SSUE 48
UESDAY CTOBER 26, TT UESDAY , ,NOOVEMBER 24, 2021 2020
New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit dining, personal gatherings Ozone worsens along Frontindoor Range; answers elusive ‘Other areas don’t violate standards like we do’ BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
The worst ozone year in recent history on the northern Front Range boosted pollutant violations in a rolling three-year average closely watched by the EPA, state officials said Oct. 21, though they did not offer bold new programs to combat the hazardous substance. Twelve monitoring sites on the Front Range now have a three-year average over the EPA’s most recent 70-parts-per-billion cap for ozone, and five sites violate even the EPA’s previous looser standard of 75 parts per billion, according to annual Haze obscures the Denver skyline as seen in an aerial view. PHOTO BY TBAKER770/SHUTTERSTOCK reports made Oct. 21 to the Air Qualpresentations showed. But ozone is ity Control Commission by state and what kicks us over the threshold of regional pollution officials. the standards, not what’s given to us in violation and getting worse, with many Front Range monitors regisWidespread Western wildfires and from outside.” tering levels higher than 80 parts The state Air Quality Control the smoke they shed into Colorado per billion over the summer. Division staff, which reports to the contributed to the ozone worsening Some AQCC commissioners commission, confirmed that the in the northern Front Range area pressed staff and RAQC officials northern Front Range is likely to already in non-attainment of EPA making the annual reports on what be declared in “severe” violation of limits, the officials said. new measures will be taken soon to EPA ozone limits in early 2022, after But they also acknowledged that bring ozone down. lingering in the “serious” violation the hot dry summer of 2021, which “We must own the reality that category. will be repeated in the future as cliwhat we’re doing is simply not Changing the classification trigmate change affects the West, made enough,” Commissioner Elise Jones for terrible ozone conditions — with gers more demands on the RAQC said after the meeting. “We are failand state officials to clamp down or without the smoke. ing on air quality. It’s time for us to on vehicle emissions and volatile “Other areas don’t violate the pursue bolder solutions than we’ve chemicals from oil and gas operastandards like we do,” said Mike considered before — like making tions that contribute to ozone. Silverstein, director of the Regional transit free, and not allowing oil Colorado continues to show Air Quality Council, which tracks and gas fracking during the ozone progress in other key areas of EPA pollution and recommends policy season.” By Ellis Arnold concern, including nitrogen oxide changes to help the Front Range Air quality officials are scheduled and volatile organic compounds meet EPA that shows that A long linelimits. of cars“So outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at Community Media to makeColorado more rules cutting emisthat are precursors of ozone, the local vehicle emissions are really
Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent weeks due to high demand. Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, according to Tri-County Health Department. Brighton and Commerce City’s test positivity rates were both higher than 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have died from COVID-19 related health issues. To limit the spread of COVID-19, at least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions that prohibits indoor and personal gatherings.
As Denver metro counties continue to inch closer to local stay-at-home orders under Colorado’s system of coronavirusrelated restrictions, the state announced a new level of rules that prohibits indoor dining personal gatherings — a and theand world. change the majority “Thisthat willapplies be 10 to times the sizeofofthe the Euro Cup,” said Manny Rodri-in Denver metro area and many counties guez, the co-chairman of the comother regions. mittee making the bid to bring the The state’s COVID-19 dial,the which has World Cup to town. “It’s world’s been in effect since September, is the set biggest sporting event. It drew 3.5 of different levels of that each billion viewers inrestrictions 2018. Our biggest
sions from oil and gas production in December, and that has proven one of the most effective strategies so far, Silverstein said. RTD has also begun talking about seeking federal funding for free transit on ozone alert days, which would cost millions in foregone ticket revenue, he added. Silverstein said RAQC and others will be looking at reducing vehicle miles traveled, a key measure in trying to cut ozone pollution, by working with large warehouse centers, shopping malls or other concentrated locations for vehicle trips. Front Range air pollution monitors can separate out pollution sources and identify which category is most promising for reducing ozone — travel by cars and light trucks is the top pollution contributor for almost every monitor, the Oct. 21 presentations showed. Changing automobile use for employers or employees, though, has proven one of the most fraught avenues in metro Denver’s pollution control efforts. Air Pollution Control Division staff over the summer proposed requiring large employers to cut the number of commuting or work miles driven by staff, but quickly withdrew the Employee Trip Reduction Program on opposition from business and industry groups. Silverstein noted that rebates to people who replace gas-powered lawn mowing equipment with clean electric models has also helped make a dent in afternoon ozone. Commissioner Jana Milford noted that California just moved tothe county is requiredhas to follow based on
severity of a county’s local virus spread. SEE OZONE, P7 The dial grew out of the state’s safer-athome order — the policy that came after the statewide stay-at-home order this spring and allowed numerous types of businesses to reopen. The state recently switched to color identifiers — levelspeople blue, yellow and and 150 million tune in. orange rather than numbered levels — to “Soccer is the world’s game.” avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red Three North American nations meant a stay-at-home order. Now, level – Canada, the United States and red — “severe risk” — is the secondMexico – are bidding to host part of
Denver poised for World Cup bid
City is one of 17 in the U.S. hoping to land part of 2026 event BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
There are a lot of things that go into Denver’s efforts to land part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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There’s the overall interest in youth soccer. There’s a desire to be part of an Photo expanded bytournament Belen Ward field in 2026 (48 countries will earn spots), And there’s a desire to show off Denver to the rest of the nation
sporting event is the Super Bowl,
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the World Cup. In the U.S., 17 cities
Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE WORLD CUP, P10
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