There’s a new sheriff in town and, unlike the friendly folks at the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, she’s not here just to make nice with environmental outlaws. When former Colorado House Speaker KC Becker was named administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 8 office last fall, she promised to further […]
Clean Air Act
Posted inClimate, Environment, News
Colorado approves Suncor permit renewal, but air pollution activists say they will keep trying to block it
Colorado air quality officials have approved a permit renewal for portions of Suncor’s refinery in Commerce City, prompting vows from community officials and environmental groups to keep fighting the permit at the EPA and in court. The EPA now has 45 days from Feb. 8 to review the updated permit conditions and either approve them […]
Posted inBusiness, Environment, News
Whistleblowers raised valid concerns about Colorado air pollution monitoring, probe finds, but problems were unintentional
Whistleblowers attacking the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division for conflicts of interest and improper modeling of potential pollution sources raised valid concerns in complaints to the EPA Inspector General, but the state’s violations were not intentional and officials did not falsify data, according to a new report by the state Attorney General’s Office. The report […]
Posted inCartoons, Opinion
Jim Morrissey: Maybe whistleblowers will clear Colorado’s air
More cartoons from The Colorado Sun.
Posted inEnvironment, Health, News
Colorado air pollution control managers ordered staff to falsify data and approve permits “at all costs,” whistleblowers say
State air pollution control managers endangered the health of Coloradans by unlawfully approving noxious gas permits for industry without federally mandated modeling or monitoring, according to a whistleblowing complaint filed Tuesday by technical employees inside the agency. Three state employees claim in a complaint to the U.S. EPA Office of Inspector General that their leaders […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Delays in closing Colorado coal plants are costly in money and air quality
Under the Regional Haze provision of the federal Clean Air Act, states must submit a plan to reduce haze to the Environmental Protection Agency. This rule — aimed at limiting air pollution in national parks and wilderness areas — requires that Colorado submit its plans to the EPA by July 2021 and reduce pollution by […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Order to close three Colorado coal-fired power plants early reversed, regulators cite “incomplete” information
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, at the urging of utility companies, did a regulatory two-step on Wednesday, rescinding the order for early closure of three coal-fired power plants that it issued last month. The November decision, made as part of the state’s plan to reduce regional haze at national parks, was based on incomplete […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, Health, News, Politics and Government
Three coal-burning power plants in Colorado face orders to close early. Their owners aren’t happy about it.
Tri-State, Xcel and Platte River Power had the closures slated for 2030. But Colorado air quality regulators say it must be done earlier to meet greenhouse gas targets. Colorado air quality regulators on Friday moved to order three coal-fired power plants to close by the end of 2028 to cut regional haze and meet Colorado […]