A Denver District judge is allowing a whistleblower lawsuit against the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to move forward in a ruling that cast doubt on testimony from the agency’s leader. In a ruling last week, Judge Shelley Gilman denied the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by a former high-level employee, […]
whistleblower
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 inColoradans, Crime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Colorado health chief says she “didn’t grasp” problem that led to huge HIV program cuts
Colorado’s top health official testified in Denver District Court this week that she failed to grasp the significance of a 2019 legal opinion that led to massive cuts in the state’s HIV prevention funding. Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, said she didn’t understand the implications […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s health department argues it can’t be sued in whistleblower lawsuit tied to botched HIV program
A former high-level state epidemiologist — who was fired last June amid the COVID-19 pandemic — is going to court this week for a hearing that will determine if his whistleblower lawsuit against state health officials can move forward. Tony Cappello, former director of Disease Control and Public Health Response at the Colorado Department of Public […]
Posted inClimate, Energy, Environment, News
Colorado used since-“retired” memo when writing disputed Suncor refinery pollution permit
In drafting their long-disputed permit renewal for Suncor Energy’s refinery in Commerce City, state air pollution officials used the same 2010 internal guidance memo that they recently “retired” after whistleblowers called the memo illegal and protested it with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General, permitting records show. Colorado Department of Public Health and […]
Posted inEnvironment, News
Whistleblowers ask AG to expand probe into Colorado air pollution division
Attorneys for the whistleblowing state air pollution division employees late Friday asked the Colorado Attorney General’s Office to broadly expand the scope of its previously announced investigation into the state health department’s handling of numerous industry permits. The whistleblowers currently or formerly employed by the Air Pollution Control Division, who have grown from three to […]
Posted inBusiness, News
Former Amazon worker files Colorado whistleblower complaint
By Patty Nieberg, The Associated Press/Report for America A former Amazon warehouse worker has filed a complaint with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment against Amazon over its COVID-19 policies and allegations that her firing was retaliatory. Linda Rodriguez alleged in her complaint filed Thursday that Amazon fired her in 2020 because she raised […]
Posted inClimate, Environment, Health, News
Former mining company attorney regularly granted a past client exemptions as Colorado’s head of air pollution control, records show
The director of the state’s Air Pollution Control Division repeatedly signed off on exemptions to pollution limits for the world’s largest gold miner, Newmont Corp. — a company that he previously represented as an attorney in private practice, according to state records. Air Pollution Control Division Director Garry Kaufman approved the exemptions for Newmont’s Cripple […]
Posted inCartoons, Opinion
Jim Morrissey: Maybe whistleblowers will clear Colorado’s air
More cartoons from The Colorado Sun.
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Worried about coronavirus safety at work? Colorado lawmakers want you to speak out without facing retaliation
Colorado Democrats are pushing ahead with legislation brought in response to the coronavirus crisis that aims to protect employees from discrimination and retaliation by their bosses if they raise health concerns. “Of course this is not common, but we want to make sure that these employees are protected during this time,” said state Sen. Brittany […]