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Suncor refinery plants 1 and 3 draft air quality permit

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Suncor refinery plants 1 and 3 draft air quality permit

The Air Pollution Control Division has drafted a permit for Suncor plant 1 and 3. The information below explains pollution stemming from the facility, what is new in the permit, the next stages in the permitting process, and how community members can get involved. 

Suncor and air pollution

The Suncor refinery is located north of Denver in Commerce City, Colorado. Suncor manufactures gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuels, and asphalt. That process also produces emissions that can impact our air quality. Air pollutants may be harmful to public health and the environment. The air quality permit helps the division to reduce pollution coming from the refinery to protect nearby communities. The division closely monitors and collects data from Suncor’s emission points. Some of the pollutants Suncor produces include:

  • Particulate matter (PM).
  • Nitrogen oxides (NOX).
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOC).
  • Sulfur dioxide (SO2).
  • Carbon monoxide (CO).
Suncor’s impact on air quality

The two air pollutants that cause the most problems in Colorado are ground-level ozone and particulate matter. 

Suncor does not emit ozone directly, but it does emit pollutants that create ozone pollution when mixed with sunlight and heat in the air. Those pollutants, oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds (NOX and VOCs), are known as ‘ozone precursors.’ When ozone is produced naturally miles above the Earth’s surface, it helps us by acting as a shield from harmful UV solar radiation. However, when ozone is produced at ground-level it is considered pollution. High levels of ozone pollution can cause health concerns for sensitive people such as older Coloradans, young children, and those with asthma or other respiratory problems.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) includes very small particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and other materials. It is called PM2.5 because these particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in size. The small size of these particles allows them to get deep into the lungs or even to enter the bloodstream, both of which can be a health hazard. PM2.5 is a respiratory irritant, similar to ozone; however it can also cause cardiovascular issues due to its extremely small size.

Why Suncor is applying to renew its air quality permit

Suncor is considered a major source of air pollution. That means it must obtain an air quality permit through a federal program called ‘Title V.’ That program refers to a section of the Clean Air Act. Title V air quality permits make our air quality rules more easily enforceable by collecting all of the requirements from different laws and regulations that apply to a facility in one place. Suncor is legally considered one facility, but it has two Title V permits because the plants were originally under different ownership. Regulations allow for a facility to have more than one air quality permit. 

Regulatory changes in the draft air quality permit

The division drafted the air quality permit to contain more stringent requirements for Suncor. That includes new monitoring, testing, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. The permit also includes new regulations that became effective since the last time CDPHE renewed the permit. This includes:

  • Fenceline monitoring of benzene, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen cyanide.
  • Notification requirements to inform the public about emergency conditions at the refinery.
  • Regional haze requirements for Suncor to reduce its emissions to maintain clear skies in our National Parks and Wilderness Areas. 
  • New federal standards requiring Suncor to use technologies that reduce air toxics emissions as much as possible.

Including these new legal requirements in the permit makes it easier for the division to take enforcement action if Suncor violates the air permit.

Advancing environmental justice as part of Suncor’s air quality permit

The Air Pollution Control Division is prioritizing engagement with the Commerce City and North Denver communities close to Suncor. For the first time, CDPHE has conducted a disparate impact analysis as part of the permitting process for Suncor’s Plants 1 & 3. This was to ensure that the permitting action does not cause a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. The analysis highlights parts of the permit that will advance environmental justice. Many of them are unique to Suncor, such as:

  • A web-based system to share continuous emissions monitoring data with the public. This will be constantly updated to provide complete transparency.
  • An annual emissions report to list all total actual emissions from Suncor. The division is requiring Suncor to make the report easy to navigate so the public gets a complete picture of the facility’s emissions.
  • A quarterly report that is also in an easy-to-navigate format. Like the annual report, this will help the community understand Suncor’s compliance with its air permit. It will also explain the consequences that stem from any increase in emissions.

The disparate impact analysis found that the draft air permit includes requirements to reduce emissions.

Opportunities for public feedback

Community members are invited to review the draft air quality permit and related materials. Then, there are several ways to submit feedback. We are especially interested in hearing your thoughts about monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting. To provide written feedback in English or Spanish, community members can:

Carissa Money

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 

4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, APCD-SS-B1 

Denver, Colorado 80246-1530

CDPHE also encourages community members to attend one of the three public comment hearings. You can attend the virtual hearings here. You do not need to register to simply listen to the discussion. If you would like to give a three-minute public comment, registration opens on June 28. Click the link for the hearing you will be attending to sign up to speak:

We are providing simultaneous Spanish interpretation at each hearing. You can provide your comments in either English or Spanish.

CDPHE values your input. We will carefully review and respond to comments on Suncor’s Plants 1 and 3 draft air permit. CDPHE may make changes to the permit based on those comments before submitting it to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for review.

More resources

Please visit the Air Pollution Control Division page or its Suncor refinery page to learn more.

You can also sign up for air quality alerts based on your frequency preference or area of residence.