Oil refinery faces potential lawsuit from environmental groups over pollution breaches

Environmental organizations have initiated legal action against a Denver refinery owned by Suncor Energy for more than 1,000 pollution violations since 2019, claiming insufficient state regulation enforcement.

Jesse Bedayn reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

Environmental groups allege that Suncor Energy's Denver refinery has committed over 1,000 pollution violations between 2019 and 2023.
Earthjustice, representing several groups including GreenLatinos and the Sierra Club, has issued a notice to sue Suncor, accusing state regulators of inadequate enforcement.
Suncor paid $10.5 million in a previous settlement for air quality violations but faces criticism for repeated breaches.

Key quote:

“The health of my friends, family, neighbors and myself should not be sacrificed by allowing Suncor to simply get slaps on the wrist while they ignore permit limits and spew chemicals.”

— Lucy Molina, 350 Colorado organizer

Why this matters:

Chronic pollution from the refinery poses significant health risks to nearby communities, particularly in poorer areas, highlighting systemic issues in environmental regulation enforcement. This lawsuit could set a precedent for how industrial polluters are held accountable and may prompt stricter regulatory measures in the future.

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Oil refinery faces potential lawsuit from environmental groups over pollution breaches

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