support clean air in your community

Your Chance to Support Clean Air in Your Community
We Need Your Help to Protect Communities from a Loophole
that Threatens Clean Air Throughout Colorado

What: Public Hearing Before the Air Quality Control Commission
When: Friday December 15th at 10:00 A.M.
Where: In Boulder, at the University of Colorado Wolf Law Building, 2450 Kittredge Loop Road, Wittemeyer Courtroom
Why: TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR ELIMINATING A LOOPHOLE THAT THREATENS CLEAN AIR!

A loophole in Colorado regulations allows polluters to release as much air pollution as they want during “upset conditions.” What are upsets? Upsets are malfunctions that result from poor operations, poor maintenance, and poor planning. Our clean air and our health are at risk because of this loophole. On December 15th, we need you to come to Boulder and ask the Air Quality Control Commission to do away with upsets and protect our communities.

BACKGROUND

The upsets loophole has allowed cement plants, coal burning power plants, oil refineries, natural gas processing plants, and other factories to release harmful amounts of air pollution for over 30 years. The loophole has been widely abused. Hundreds of upsets have been reported in the last five years.

Upsets should not happen. Good operation, good maintenance, and good planning should prevent air pollution from ever jeopardizing human health. Yet the current loophole allows upsets to happen, and even lets polluters off the hook when they do. If an upset occurs, citizens and the state can do nothing about it.

In response to a petition from Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action, the state of Colorado is now moving to remove this loophole. Two Options have been put before the Air Quality Control Commission. Option 1 protects clean air and human health, while Option 2 is an industry proposal that continues to put clean air at risk. The Air Quality Control Commission will decide on December 15th which Option to choose.

YOU CAN HELP!

On Friday December 15th, the Air Quality Control Commission will listen to what the public has to say. This is your opportunity to support Option 1 and strong protection for clean air and communities in Colorado.

TALKING POINTS

When you testify, tell the Commission what you think about the upsets loophole. Recount any experiences you may have had with a polluter that has claimed upsets, or any upsets that you have experienced. Do you or your family members have respiratory ailments, like asthma or emphysema? Tell the Commission this, and tell them that the current upsets loophole puts you or your family at risk. Here’s some more talking points:

We appreciate and commend the state’s efforts to eliminate the upsets loophole and make Colorado regulations consistent with the Clean Air Act and protective of human health.

The Commission should adopt Option 1. Option 1 affords the greatest protection for our air and our health.

Upsets should not happen in the first place. Good operation, good maintenance, and good planning should prevent any malfunction, and fully protect our air quality.

The health of our children is too important to be ruined by a malfunction or upset. We need safeguards that protect clean air and human health, like Option 1.

Thank you.

Your input will be vital to eliminating the upsets loophole and your voice will make a difference. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME TESTIFY! If you have any questions contact Jeremy Nichols, Director of Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action at (303) 454-3370 at rmcleanair@gmail.com.

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