epa
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EPA report finds Suncor refinery having more air pollution incidents compared to other refineries
The Environmental Protection Agency released a report Friday on Suncor’s Commerce City refinery showing it has more air pollution incidents than 11 other refineries of similar size and output. In the report, the EPA said the Suncor refinery “may experience more air quality incidents because of inadequacies in preventative maintenance, testing and inspection of liquid…
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Air pollution emissions spike from Suncor’s Commerce City refinery detected
A large spike in levels of sulfur dioxide emitted from Suncor’s Commerce City refinery was detected by air monitoring equipment north of the refinery at 5:18 a.m. Wednesday, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The monitoring station, operated by Boulder A.I.R, detected a peak level of 491 parts per billion, far above…
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Suncor released potentially unhealthy levels of benzene into Sand Creek after December fire
Suncor released potentially unhealthy levels of benzene into Sand Creek after a December refinery fire, according to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. After the two fires that injured two employees at Suncor’s Commerce City refinery, the company shut down the plant for repairs caused by extreme cold weather and for maintenance. Subsequent water…
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Federal lawsuit against the EPA in Gold King mine disaster moving forward
A federal court case against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by a Colorado landowner whose property includes the Gold King mine near Silverton can proceed, federal Judge Armando O. Bonilla ruled. Bonilla tossed the EPA’s motion to dismiss, meaning the landowner’s case alleging the EPA improperly took his land without compensation can proceed to trial. The…
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10th Circuit upholds order for Colorado Springs landlord to comply with lead paint investigation
The federal appeals court based in Denver agreed that a Colorado Springs landlord must comply with an order to provide records to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is investigating whether he properly disclosed lead paint to tenants. David H. Zook, who is the manager of the company that owns 806 E. Boulder St., has…
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EPA abused discretion by denying Suncor Colorado refineries exemption from clean air law, court says
The federal appeals court based in Denver has overturned a 2019 decision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that refused to grant Suncor Energy’s Commerce City Refinery an exemption to a key environmental law. Although the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit cautioned the EPA could find, upon further review, that Suncor still…
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Sierra Club, environmental groups petition EPA to ban natural gas for home heating
More than two dozen environmental organizations petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the use of natural gas for home heating nationwide, arguing the federal agency must regulate “deadly pollution from heating appliances.” The petition, sponsored by the Sierra Club, claims fossil fuel-fired home furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers and stoves emit enough nitrogen dioxide…
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PFAS water contamination ubiquitous, but treatment plants gaining ground
Manmade chemicals brought to the marketplace last century after World War II to make life better with products such as nonstick cookware and water-repellent shoes have made life in this century more worrisome. The Security-Widefield area of El Paso County in 2016 became ground zero for drinking-water contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group…
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Metro Denver to pay more at the gas pump – unless Polis persuades EPA to delay air quality downgrade
Denver metro and northern Front Range Coloradans will be paying for more expensive gasoline – unless Gov. Jared Polis decides to ask the federal government to reconsider a pending downgrade of the regional air quality compliance rating. Polis faced a similar situation in 2019, when the Environmental Protection Agency also downgraded the region’s air quality…
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U.S. Supreme Court overturns EPA Clean Power Plan, Polis says ruling won’t affect Colorado
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday curbed the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse emissions from power plants, concluding that an anti-pollution law does not grant broad new powers to the agency. But Gov. Jared Polis said the ruling would not have any effect in Colorado. “Colorado has already locked in the closure of…