COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The long list of legal complaints continues to be stacked against Suncor Refinery in Commerce City.
The company has faced criticism for several years, from racking up fines for pollution violations to neighbors saying harmful toxins are impacting their community.
Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filed against Suncor, alleging it has repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act.
Now, Suncor is also facing a wrongful death lawsuit.
On Tuesday, advocates and community members gathered for a press conference outside the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) office, calling for action.
Among the demonstrators were Bren Bigelow and Morgan Brown, who said they were speaking out to help their neighbors breathe cleaner and safer air.
“This directly impacts all of us. We all breathe air. We’re all impacted by this,” said Bigelow.
“We’ve been working really hard to bring advocacy to the poor air quality our community suffers from,” said Brown.
The two and several others who attended the press conference are calling for CDPHE, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Gov. Jared Polis to do something about what they cite as harmful impacts caused by Suncor.
They're also demanding an investigation into the death of Kurtis Williams, a Texas contractor working at the Suncor facility. Williams allegedly died after being exposed to a toxic gas in February 2023.
According to the lawsuit, Williams was exposed to hydrogen sulfide when Suncor had a vapor leak.
The lawsuit claims he went to a health screening but was sent back to work. A week later, it states Williams was found dead in his hotel room by his co-workers.
"Suncor has poisoned the air we breathe, jeopardized the health of our children, and now, with the death of Kurtis Williams, they have shown that even the lives of their own workers are expendable,” said Guadalupe Solis, director of environmental justice programs for Cultivando.
A report last year showed Suncor in Commerce City produced more air pollution than 11 similar refineries across the United States.
Another report using Cultivando's air monitoring near the refinery also showed the presence of radon gas near where communities live.
Radon is considered the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
The findings also showed that radioactive emissions are approximately two to three times higher in the direction of Suncor.
A spokesperson for the EPA sent the following statement:
EPA continues to prioritize oversight of the Suncor facility through rigorous enforcement of existing regulations and permit requirements. Enforcements activities include ongoing inspections, monitoring, and public engagement to hold Suncor accountable for its operations. The voices of affected communities are vital to our work, and we are committed to transparency and collaboration as we continue addressing the issues at the Suncor refinery.
Gov. Polis released the following statement:
“Governor Polis is saddened about the death of this Suncor contractor last year and is hopeful that the facts of this tragic incident will come forward through the lawsuit. The state has made significant progress to increase monitoring and enforcement of Suncor to improve our air quality and protect Coloradans and our communities. The Governor signed into law HB22-1244 focused on the monitoring and regulation of air toxics, with the first rule makings on air toxics underway this year. This summer, Governor Polis also signed HB24-1338 to allow CDPHE to evaluate potential refinery regulations that go above and beyond federal requirements. Governor Polis appreciates the input of the community and will continue to work to keep all of our communities healthy.”
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
Denver7 reached out to CDPHE, Governor Polis' office and Suncor for a statements but we have not heard back.