SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
VOLUME 33 32
C I T Y
TUESDAY ECEMBER24, 7, 2021 TUESDAY , ,NDOVEMBER 2020
50cI
SSUE 48 50 ISSUE
New COVID-19 willemission prohibit indoor personal gatherings Suncor restrictions must make cutsdining, to protect park air But air regulators reject demands for further pollution cuts BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
Suncor must make deeper cuts to sulfur dioxide emissions from its Commerce City refinery as part of state regulators’ revisions to federal “regional haze” rules, meant to boost visibility and restore pristine conditions at Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes and wilderness areas. The Air Quality Control Commission gave preliminary approval in November to a plan telling Suncor to make sulfur dioxideremoving equipment fully operational by 2024 instead of 2029. If Suncor doesn’t make that deadline, it would have to install additional pollution controls proposed by an environmental coalition. The AQCC move came after a long push by environmental groups and neighborhoods around the refinery to make meaningful cuts to pollution. AQCC commissioners cited both the haze reduction goals and their desire to Jason Connor tries to decide which bear to take home Dec. 4 at the Teddy Bear Tree in Brighton’s Founders Plaza, part of the deliver environmental justice to city’s annual Winter Festival. Volunteers and Arc Thrift Stores donated the tree’s-worth of stuffed animals for local kids to long-suffering communities near PHOTO BY BELEN WARD claim and cuddle. Suncor. Commissioners in November rejected, however, the environ“Regional” means states are mental coalition’s demands for ad- regional haze battle, and a victory than-planned closures of three instructed to look at all the big power plants, in the first phase of ditional pollution cuts at Colorado for the refinery’s neighbors, said sources of pollutants like sulfur the 10-year haze update. Tracy Coppola, senior Colorado power and cement plants to speed county is required to follow based on the Byregional Ellis Arnold dioxide and nitrogen oxide that programrapid manager forsite theatNational After intense objections, the uplong hazeline improvements. A of cars outside the city of Brighton’s testing severity of a county’s local virus spread. Colorado Community react in the air to create haze, on AQCC reversed itself atMedia the next Parks Conservation Association. “The commission should have Riverdale Regional Park. The site has hadSuncor to closeoffi early many days in recent month’s meeting and said it had The dial grew out of thethat state’s safer-atthe understanding smokecials said Dec. 1 they done more,” said Michael Hiatt, a weeks to highfor demand. Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate As Denver metro countiesin continue home order —plumes the policyhundreds that came after stacks send of overstepped its bounds tryingto support regional haze reduction Denverdue attorney Earthjustice, miles across western open to regulate plants. inch closer to the localpower stay-at-home orders and will “continue to which upaswith the 17, Sierra the statewide stay-at-home orderskies. this was 15.9teamed percent, of Nov. accordingefforts, to Tri-County Health Department. States develop an types impleTheColorado’s environmental is make rates technological Club andand the Commerce National Parks under system ofcoalition coronavirusspring andmust allowed numerous of Brighton City’sContest positivity were bothimprovements higher than mentation plan showing how wary that Suncor will seek simito the refinery to reduce emisservation Association to seek a related restrictions, the state announced businesses to reopen. 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have lar relief before the AQCC finalizsions. . . We will review the Air tougher regional haze plan. pollutants will be cut over time in a new of rulesabout that prohibits The state recently to color died from COVID-19 health issues. To limit the spread of COVID-19, es its level decision the refiindoor nery’s a “glide Quality Control Commission’s But, Hiatt added, related the Suncor path” set switched out by the EPA dining and personal gatherings — a identifiers — levels blue, yellow pollution later this month. final decision on sulfurindoor dioxide cuts “will result inmoved clearer that runs through the yearand 2064. at least 15 counties toskies tighter restrictions that prohibits and The EPA’s regional haze rules emissions and work with the Air change that applies to the majority of the at Rocky gatherings. Mountain National Park orange ratherare than numbered — to The plans allowed to levels incorpersonal are meant to protect and slowly and, also very importantly, they’re Pollution Control Division on the porate expected haze reduction Denver metro area and many counties in avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red improve sightlines at so-called implementation requirements,” going to have equity and environbenefi from otherorder. state efforts, other regions. meant atsstay-at-home Now, level spokeswoman Mita Adesanya said “Class 1” outdoor attractions, mental justice co-benefits for the such as Colorado’s multiple The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has red — “severe risk” — is the secondnational parks to wilderstatement. nearby communities in Commerce in a written greenhouse gas reduction laws of Photo by Belen Ward from been in effectto since September,fish is the set ness areas important and Late last year, utilities rebelled City and north Denver.” recent years. wildlife many of them of differentareas, levels of restrictions thatineach Demanding that Suncor do more when the AQCC issued a prePlease see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 the West. liminary order requiring earlieris “a huge step forward” in the SEE EMISSIONS, P4
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