The big Suncor oil refinery in Commerce City, which has been under fire for years from state regulators and environmental justice groups, is getting a “dirty,” “backroom” deal from the health department on its renewed water discharge permit, advocacy groups say.

Suncor is often dinged for its repetitive air pollution violations, but the state and environmental groups are also closely watchdogging runoff of PFAS “forever chemicals” and petroleum-related chemicals like benzene into groundwater and Sand Creek, which passes nearby. In 2024, Colorado public health officials proudly announced first-ever PFAS limits written into a Suncor water discharge renewal.

Suncor soon protested in lawsuits that the state limits went too far, adding “arbitrary” and unnecessary conditions to their disch

See Full Page