Commerce City Sentinel Express 100622 by Colorado Community Media

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ISSUE 40 SSUE 48

WEEK ,OFNO CTOBER 24, 6, 2022 TUESDAY OVEMBER 2020

New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings EPA says no way out of reformulated gas Colorado threatens to sue in 2024 BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

The Environmental Protection Agency can’t let Colorado off the hook for imposing more expensive reformulated gas to fight ozone pollution beginning in 2024, the agency said in a reply to Gov. Jared Polis’ objections and threats to sue. The gas, which produces fewer ozone-contributing fumes, should cost about 3 cents a gallon more than normal gas formulations, according to an EPA review. Emissions and air quality remains an issue in Colorado. The EPA’s Washington headquarters told Polis that the cently required more stringent tions after hearing from the Clean Air Act dating to the air monitoring at Suncor’s fence EPA. 1990s requires all penalized “Gov. Polis has been clear that line and put new conditions on areas, like the nine counties long-delayed permit renewals. he will pursue all legal strateof the northern Front Range, Polis’ letter said new construcgies to avoid this outdated and to switch to reformulated gas tion required to supply reformuineffective requirement for when the agency declares them lated gas and higher production reformulated gasoline,” spokesin “severe” nonattainment for levels could hamper air quality man Conor Cahill said. “It’s lung-damaging ozone. progress in those neighborclear that this outdated policy The change in classification hoods. would negatively impact Coloalso requires Colorado’s Air While environmental groups rado’s most vulnerable, rewind Pollution Control Division to do not believe reformulated gas environmental justice efforts lower the threshold for stationwill do much to solve the northand raise costs on people when ary sources that must apply for ern Front Range ozone probthey need their money most.” permits to 25 tons of pollutants lems, because current everyday The Polis objection letter said from the current 50 tons. Air formulations are much cleaner the reformulated gas mandate pollution control officials have than when the 1990s law was has “the potential to exacerbate said that will add at least 400 passed, they alsoArnold dismiss the long-standing historic environBy Ellis new permits to an already A long line of cars outside thebackcity of Brighton’s rapid testing at Polis objections as “reelectionmental injustices insite communiColorado Community Media logged system. ties refi neries. Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had tonear close regional early many days in recent year theater.” “Thedue Clean Air demand. Act provisions “There’s way out of it. It’sto The mandate raises serious weeks to high Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate As Denver no metro counties continue requiring the sale of (reformugoing to happen,” said Jeremy environmental justice quesinch closer to local stay-at-home orders was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, according to Tri-County Health Department. lated gas) in areas reclassified Nichols of WildEarth Guardtions, again particularly given under Colorado’s system of coronavirusBrighton and Commerce City’s test positivity rates were both higher than as Severe and the timing of the lack of realized benefits that ians. Colorado knew the ozone related restrictions, the state announced 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have those requirements are clear,” downgrade was coming for accompany it.” a new level of rules that prohibits died fromEPA COVID-19 related health issues.Suncor To limit is thethe spread COVID-19, national Administrator and Nichols likenedindoor the onlyof major refin- years, dining and personal gatherings a Michael wrote to to Polis. at least 15Regan counties moved tighter restrictions that prohibits indoorthe and state’s reaction to a high — school ery in Colorado, and likely change that appliesall to their the majority of the Regan did say the EPA will try senior failing classes one that would supply reformupersonal gatherings. Denver metro area and manythey counties in to work with Colorado on imple- lated gas. While environmental and then complaining mentation, and noted the state other regions. couldn’t graduate. groups and community leaders has “20 months of lead time to “If truly cared have asked the Polis administraTheGov. state’sPolis COVID-19 dial, which has Photo Belen ComWard about prepare.” air September, and avoiding tion to phase outby Suncor’s been in clean effect since is the set The Polis administration did RFG, he’dlevels direct the air division merce City location altogether, of different of restrictions that each not back down from its objecair pollution regulators have re- to everything in their power to

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clean up ozone in the region and either avoid a severe classification or at least get out of it as quickly as possible,” Nichols said. “Instead, the air division has offered up an ozone cleanup plan that it admits will fail.” The advocates and allies among metro area elected officials want the state to speed up the transition to lower-emission vehicles, pause air pollution permitting, and put more restrictions on Front Range oil and gas drilling as keys to reducing ozone faster. The state’s proposals so far do not include county extras is required follow based on the those ortoothers recommended cleanlocal air virus coalitions. severity of by a county’s spread. “Pollution bad enough The dial grew outisofnow the state’s safer-atthat more federal environmenhome order — the policy that came after tal protections are kicking in, the statewide stay-at-home order this which is exactly why the Clean spring and allowed numerous types of Air Act exists in the first place,” businesses to reopen. said Jacob Smith of Colorado The state recently to color Communities forswitched Climate Acidentifiers — levels blue, yellow and tion, a coalition of 40 local orange rather than“Trying numberedto levels — to governments. avoid avoidrules confusion. Nov. level red the willUntil mean it 17, takes meant a stay-at-home order. level longer, costs more andNow, leaves more peoplerisk” sick. The red — “severe — is the quickest secondpath to not needing federal air Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE GAS, P4