Colorado Latino Forum

Today, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission voted to approve 's settlement agreement with the Energy Justice Coalition and other parties regarding their Renewable Energy Standard Plan, dedicating $32.8 million toward renewable energy programs & incentives for disproportionately impacted communities. We applaud this momentous step forward for equitable energy in Colorado, ensuring low-income communities gain access to clean energy. https://votesolar.org/press-release-colorado-public-utilities-commission-approves-clean-energy-agreement/

BREAKING NEWS ABOUT SUNCOR

An EPA cover letter to the state said the federal agency was also “providing CDPHE with comments and recommendations related to environmental justice and (civil rights) issues involving the permit, the community surrounding the Suncor facility, and the state’s air permitting program.”

Ean Thomas Tafoya Colorado director of GreenLatinos, (and CLF Cochair) said, “What I’m not surprised at is there are problems at Suncor. We’ve been saying that for a long time.” Usually, Tafoya added, “disproportionately impacted communities don’t have everyone walking with us, and it seems like now they are.”

Those further requirements include criticism that the state’s process “deprived the public of meaningful participation” in making modifications to Suncor’s permits. The EPA also has questions about documentation on whether Colorado has met Clean Air Act attainment targets.

EPA objects to Colorado's approval of Suncor permit, asks for changes The EPA notified the Colorado health department that it will formally object to parts of the Suncor Refinery’s operating permit renewal.

FYI - there was an incident at Suncor this morning a fire. This notice was provided via the alert system that we fought so hard to create. Notice this doesn't tell us the values for the air quality that they state acute, We need to improve this alert system for transportation, but we are glad it is in place. You can sign up for
notifications yourself via the link below.

https://member.everbridge.net/892807736722583/notif

This morning, December 17, Suncor responded to a fire at the Commerce City refinery. Our emergency response teams immediately responded and extinguished the fire. As part of our response plan, refinery alarms were sounded. All workers are accounted for and there are no reported injuries. After determining it was safe to do so, the all-clear was given.

Data gathered from the Commerce City-North Denver Air Monitors indicate concentrations for compounds measured remained below acute health guideline values before, during and immediately following the event. We will continue to monitor this network until our response to this incident is complete.

We notified the appropriate response and regulatory agencies including the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. We are working to determine the cause of the fire. Suncor’s top priority is ensuring the health and safety of people in our workplace and in the communities where we operate.

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Esta mañana, 17 de diciembre, Suncor respondió a un incendio enla refinería de Commerce City. Nuestros equipos de respuesta a emergencias respondieron de inmediato y extinguieron el fuego. Como parte de nuestro plan de respuesta, se activaron las alarmas de la refinería. Todos los trabajadores están a salvo y no se informó de lesionados. Después de determinar que era seguro hacerlo, se dio el visto bueno.

Los datos recopilados de los monitores de aire de Commerce City-Norte de Denver indican que las concentraciones de los compuestos medidos se mantuvieron por debajo de los valores de las pautas de salud aguda antes, durante e inmediatamente después del evento. Continuaremos monitoreando esta red hasta que se complete nuestra respuesta a este incidente.

Notificamos a las agencias reguladoras y de respuesta apropiadas, incluido el Departamento de Salud Pública y Medio Ambiente de Colorado. Estamos trabajando para determinar la causa del incendio. La principal prioridad de Suncor es garantizar la salud y la seguridad de las personas en nuestro lugar de trabajo y en las comunidades donde operamos.

member.everbridge.net

“This is a first for impacted environmental communities,” Colorado GreenLatinos director Ean Tafoya said. He called it “a huge step forward for our community,” and encouragement to community groups to “use every tool available in our collective pursuit for environmental liberation.”

We won't stop breaking new ground in our fight for clean air and water. What starts in fights in our backyard in Denver and Commerce City is impacting advocates everywhere. Their pursuit of justice can follow our blueprint. Much like all the ballot petitions I have worked on over the years, we are using this petition for rulemaking to drive the Water Quality Control Division agenda ourselves and driven by the needs and concerns of the community we can do transformative things.

Of course urban rivers deserve the same protections as rural rivers. We were shocked with the Comission chose not to upgrade protections this summer, and that's when we got to work organizing towards this petition. And trust me we were ready to exercise more tools if this was debied. Now we have a date in court so to speak, with a hearing set for next fall. It's going to take work to win in the end, so we need your help!.

Will you join us as a water protector?

Leave a note in the comment and I'll be sure to connect with you.

By joining in this fight you will learn the skills to take this type of petition for rulemaking to any number of commissions. These commissions are where power is wielded by unelected bodies.

Our accountability must come through efforts like this!

Knowledge is power!

Water is life. Thank you to the many community orgs and local electeds Candi CdeBaca , Kristi Douglas , and Paul Kashmann , Susan Shirk Noble for joining with us in our requests to this comission and the governor.

Advocacy groups force Colorado water quality commission to consider upgrades for urban streams Colorado's water quality commission will revisit the South Platte River upgrades it rejected last year after a coalition protested.

For years we have been fighting for environmental justice in North Denver. In a legal settlement versus the state if Colorado we won funds to perform a first of a kind cummulative pollution analysis in Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea. Join this give away to meet the Community Council and CSU investigation team that was chosen to learn more

Congratulations to CLF Co-Chair Xochitl Gaytan for her election as President of the Denver Public School Board!

Xóchitl Gaytán, Tay Anderson take helm of Denver’s union-backed school board Board leaders declare "a new era for Denver Public Schools," call for dismantling racist systems

Today, the city announced the completed installation of 30 Pallet shelters at The Salvation Army in Aurora (11701 E 33rd Ave.) as emergency alternative shelter options for those experiencing homelessness. The Pallet shelters will provide an additional 30-60 beds this winter and through 2022. Learn more at AuroraGov.org.

Feeling so grateful for our world premiere yesterday at the 44th Denver Film Festival. To be with the residents of Denver Meadows as they saw their story on the screen was inspiring. Thank you to everyone who attended! To attend a screening, see the link below.

https://denverfilmfestival.eventive.org/films/6151f24ab4a86d00c0ab6f9c

Denver Film 9to5 Colorado AARP Economic Hardship Reporting Project Eviction Lab Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival Ford Foundation Lincoln Institute of Land Policy National Low Income Housing Coalition ROC USA MHAction.org Congresswoman Cori Bush Elizabeth Warren Congressman Eric Swalwell Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Rep. Ilhan Omar Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib Rep. Ro Khanna International Documentary Association Sara Terry Gretchen G. Landau

We believe in an equitable and vibrant that guarantees our public spaces are designed for people.
Decriminalizing Multimodal Transportation: A Virtual Panel

Tuesday, Nov. 9
6-7:15 p.m.

On Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kTgu-M5sTD2nYAIjrXkf0Q