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Week of April 21, 2022
ADAMS & JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
WestminsterWindow.com
VOLUME 77 | ISSUE 26
EPA downgrades Colorado’s ozone problem to ‘severe’ Will force more cuts to pollution BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
The EPA has downgraded Colorado’s North Front Range ozone problem to “severe” from “serious,”
a long-expected move that requires state and local officials to take stronger runs at cutting the healthdamaging pollution. “The proposed reclassifications would require the State of Colorado to apply more stringent air quality measures to sources across the area,” an EPA release said, in announcing the proposed change after months of pressure from envi-
ronmental advocates who said the deadlines to do so had already come and gone. “Under the ‘severe’ reclassification, these requirements include the use of reformulated gasoline in summer months and a reduction of the threshold requiring control measures on emissions sources from 50 tons per year to 25 tons per year,” the EPA said.
Fentanyl bill passes first test as overdoses skyrocket in the North Metro area Addiction experts say treatment, not jail, the best way to handle problem BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A bill that raises penalties for possession and distribution of fentanyl passed Colorado’s House Judiciary Committee on April 13. After more than 11 hours of testimony on April 12, the bill passed 8-3 with an added amendment that makes knowingly possessing more than 1 gram of fentanyl or a fentanyl compound for personal use a felony. Adding the amendment passed on a 7-4 vote. The legislation comes as fentanylrelated deaths skyrocketed across the North Metro area in 2021. The Office of the Coroner for Adams and Broomfield counties reported that deaths where fentanyl toxicity is included in the primary cause of death almost tripled in Westminster from eight in 2020 to 22 in 2021, from four to nine in Northglenn and from
In a previous interview that will be published on April 12, Colorado officials said the pending EPA downgrade will require hundreds of companies to get emission permits from a state system already critically backlogged. State health officials say their steep budget request is designed to clear the jam and improve the air. SEE OZONE, P8
Colorado will have hundreds more air pollution sources to permit BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN
The penalties a bipartisan bill would establish for fentanyl possession and distribution have gained support from law enforcement and opposition from medical professionals.
SEE FENTANYL, P6
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The EPA downgrade of Northern Front Range ozone pollution to “severe” from “serious” on April 12 will require hundreds of Colorado companies to get emission permits from a critically backlogged state system, but health officials say their request for a steep budget increase from lawmakers will clear the jam and improve the air. State health officials April 12 said they welcomed the EPA’s announcement knocking the Denver metro area and other major U.S. cities into a tougher enforcement category for ozone, saying the long-anticipated move would “help build upon Colorado’s strategies to protect and improve the air we breathe.” SEE POLLUTION, P8
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
Dog trainer suggests calm teaching for COVID canines PAGE 12