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Suncor Settlement SEP Community Process
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Summary and Background Information:
On March 6, 2020, The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced a $9 million settlement for State and Federal air pollution violations at the Suncor refinery in Commerce City. The settlement addresses many events where Suncor emitted pollutants over set limits as well as violations relating to requirements of how facilities are operated and monitored. These events occurred since July 2017, including a significant increase in violations that occurred during the period from January through June 2019. The settlement also includes penalties for the “operational upset” and other violations that happened in December 2019. $2,624,100 of this settlement will be used for the State’s Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) to benefit the surrounding communities. This area is loosely defined as southwest Commerce City, the Elyria-Swansea and Globeville neighborhoods of Denver, and segments of unincorporated Adams County. A detailed overview of the state SEP process can be found here
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When the state releases a formal request for applications in the Fall 2020 to apply for these funds, Commerce City will be among many local governments, nonprofits and other organizations submitting ideas for community environmental projects to be funded by money from the Suncor settlement. The state suggests the proposed projects to fit these criteria:
1. The project creates measurable environmental or public health impacts;
2. The project benefits the geographic area impacted by the violation(s); and/or
3. The project is not required to address the same environmental concerns caused by the violations (i.e. projects do not need to address only air quality, even though the Suncor settlement is for air pollution violations)
Projects that a...
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