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10-03-2024headlines (1) Jack Dawson
Colorado revises Suncor refinery permit after EPA rejection, opens 30-day public comment
Colorado health officials released a revised air permit for Suncor Energy’s Commerce City refinery on Friday after the EPA rejected last year’s version. The new permit, covering Plant 2, includes changes like requiring Suncor to make malfunction manuals more accessible to workers to speed up emergency responses and prevent pollution violations.
Environmental groups, including Earthjustice, argue the revisions fall short of addressing the bigger issue: curbing the thousands of tons of pollution Suncor dumps into the air every day.
Suncor’s Commerce City refinery emits over 800,000 tons of pollutants annually, including nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. The 100-year-old plant in the heart of Denver is one of the largest single sources of air pollution in the state which has been in “severe nonattainment” of the EPA’s ozone standards for 16 years.
The revised permit is open for a 30-day public comment period before returning to the EPA for a 45-day review.
Boulder County nears completion of jail expansion but struggles to fund operations after tax is repurposed
Boulder County officials are completing a jail expansion that includes a 60-bed module to ease overcrowding and a new alternative sentencing facility for low-level offenders. The 2018 voter-approved sales tax funded the construction of these facilities to improve jail conditions and provide options like work release and community corrections. The alternative sentencing facility will also offer mental health and substance use services to reduce recidivism.
Last year, however, when voters approved Ballot Measure 1A, they reallocated the tax meant to operate that jail to affordable housing, leaving the county without funds to staff or open the new facilities.
This week, Sheriff Curtis Johnson asked Boulder County commissioners– who are already facing a budget deficit— for $5.4 million to operate the expanded facility.
If commissioners approve the request, the money would likely require cuts from other county social services.
In the meantime, overcrowding continues to be a problem for Boulder county jail, with more than 450 people housed in a facility designed for 287 inmates.
Boulder County buys $5M in development rights from Cemex, secures 153 acres for open space
Boulder County commissioners approved a $5.1 million purchase of development rights from Cemex, securing 153 acres of land near Lyons for open space this week.
The agreement, part of a 2002 deal, prevents residential development on the land and preserves it as a high biodiversity area adjacent to existing open space.
The county also plans to buy an additional 613 acres, including a closed quarry, in 2025.
Meanwhile, Boulder County is attempting to shut down Cemex’s nearby cement plant, citing increased traffic hazards. Cemex is appealing the county’s decision to close the plant.
Judge orders EPA to review fluoride risks as Aurora’s water levels come under scrutiny
A federal judge has ordered the EPA to reconsider the potential neurodevelopmental risks posed by fluoride in drinking water, raising concerns for cities like Aurora, where naturally occurring fluoride levels could require action.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen’s ruling comes after mounting research linked higher fluoride exposure to lower IQ in children, marking the first time a court has addressed the developmental risks associated with fluoride levels in U.S. water supplies.
Aurora does not add fluoride to its water–it occurs naturally in the mountain runoff that feeds the city’s water system. According to the Aurora Sentinel, Aurora’s water contains fluoride levels that sometimes exceed recommended federal levels. But the city’s fluoride levels are below the limits set by the World Health Organization.. Aurora Water officials are closely monitoring the situation, noting that lowering fluoride levels could prove difficult and costly, as removing fluoride would require advanced treatments like ion exchange or reverse osmosis. The city awaits further EPA guidance on potential new fluoride standards and how they might impact local water systems.