- A court in Colorado has overturned the state’s approval of increased air pollution from a tanker truck facility in Commerce City.
- The facility had sought to increase the number of tanker trucks loaded with crude oil and other substances it could handle.
- The ruling was based on concerns about the facility’s impact on public health and the environment.
- The facility is located in a predominantly Latino neighborhood that has already experienced significant pollution from oil and gas operations.
- The court’s decision is seen as a victory for environmental and public health advocates, who had challenged the state’s approval of the facility expansion.
By Center for Biological Diversity | March 17, 2023
A state judge has voided a permit issued by the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division allowing a tanker truck repair shop to emit more asthma-causing air pollution. Polar Service Center is located in a part of Commerce City already heavily overburdened with pollution.
Thursday’s Adams County District Court decision follows a lawsuit filed by North Range Concerned Citizens and the Center for Biological Diversity challenging the division’s approval. Adams County is part of the Denver Metro/North Front Range area, which has for more than 15 years violated the national smog standard set to protect the health of people and wildlife.
The court’s decision comes in response to a request jointly submitted by the two organizations and the Air Pollution Control Division itself. By submitting this request, the division admitted it wrongly authorized the increased pollution…
Those most at risk of getting sick from smog include children, the elderly, people who exercise or work outdoors, and people with asthma and other lung problems. Smog also makes it harder for bees to pollinate wildflowers and agricultural crops because pollution prevents bees from smelling flowers.
Read more from the Center for Biological Diversity.
