Energy, Equity, and the Environment

Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) includes heat- trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. As fossil fuel usage has increased over the last 200 years, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has

increased at a quicker rate than natural systems can absorb. Trapped CO2 gradually increase the amount of heat in the atmosphere, causing a slow, gradual rise in temperatures. Rising temperatures cause increases in ozone formation (i.e., smog).

As the climate continues to shift, communities can respond to the associated rise in extreme weather through two approaches: adaptation (i.e., changing processes and infrastructure to thrive in a new normal) and mitigation (i.e., reducing carbon pollution). Implementing strategies from both these approaches will ensure the community thrives against the escalation of extreme weather events and climatic shifts, while working to prevent additional future harm.

The City generates three streams of waste: the material that is deposited by the public in waste containers at parks, natural areas, and recreational facilities (including illegally dumped items); industrial byproducts from activities such as street sweeping, storm water detention pond clean-outs, and repair/maintenance of water and sewer pipes; and discarded “office” types of material from administrative buildings, shops, warehouses, and utility plants. Systems for collection and management vary, as does the potential for capturing materials from each of these waste streams to be reused, recycled, or composted. Making staff and public knowledgeable about their habits relating to solid waste and how to reduce waste is a powerful tool for achieving waste reduction and diversion goals, reducing carbon emissions, and extending landfill life.

By diverting certain kinds of waste from their endpoints in landfills, the City can reframe waste as “new” materials for reuse and provide new opportunities for job creati

The city’s trash and recycling provider is Republic Services, learn more at c3gov.com/Trash.

As the City reassesses its plans for sustainable growth into the future, it must consider the critical ways in which transportation infrastructure contributes to air pollution, resilience, and community accessibility. Transportation infrastructure – from public transit to active transportation – in many ways shapes what communities look like, how people behave, and the overall quality of life in the City. Strategies in this sector include those that address the lack of accessibility for public transit and active transportation networks.

Fostering alternative transportation options has multiple benefits such as lowering emissions, cutting fuel expenditures, extending vehicle life, reducing reliance on foreign oil, and creating U.S. jobs by alternative fleet manufacturing.

View the RTD routes in C3

Climate change affects human health in many ways including but not limited to heat- and cold-related deaths and illnesses and increases in asthma and allergy-related symptoms. Warmer temperatures and later fall frosts also allow plants to produce pollen later into the year, prolonging the allergy season.

Industrial pollution issues impact all Commerce City residents, crossing racial and socioeconomic lines. This focus area seeks to tackle industry related air quality issues and health justice, a major priority for all C3 residents, particularly residents of color who disproportionately live near industrial facilities.

The municipal government can set an example regarding wellness and safety and influence policies while providing exceptional services to motivate residents toward healthy lifestyle choices and, ultimately, healthier and more productive lives.

Commerce City does not regulate air or water violations. The Colorado Department of Public Health is the responsible agency. Below are contacts that can be used for emergency notifications, complaints that may require an inspection, and environmental justice concerns.

Air Concerns

Any resident in Commerce City can submit an air or water complaint or concern to the Colorado Department of Public Health. There are numerous offices, but the Environmental Justice Office and the Air Quality Office are the best places to start regarding air concerns. The state does have a mobile monitoring unit that can be driven to a select neighborhood to conduct real time testing. Residents can also sign up to receive notifications from Suncor. Legally any exceedance over a certain level (> 500 lbs in 24 hrs) requires the state to notify community members through the Emergency Planning and community Right to Know Act (EPCRA).

Environmental Justice

Marcus Howell, CDPHE Environmental Justice Contact ej_complaints@state.co.us.
Joel Minor, CDPHE

joel.minor@state.co.us 720-775-8502

Air Quality

Ben Cappa, Supervisor: Inspections
720-239-2175 303 692-3250

Oil & Gas Emissions

Jennifer Mattox, Oil and Gas Team Enforcement Supervisor
303-692-3144

There are three entities that provide emergency notifications: Adams County (evacuation, water contamination, etc.), CDPHE for air pollution emissions over a large quantity (>500 lbs), and the Suncor facility and an additional site for general ambient air conditions (I.e. high ozone).

Notifications (Suncor):

Notifications from Suncor are available in both English and Spanish via text, email and/or phone. To sign up for refinery notifications, visit Suncor.com/CCRsignup or text SUNCOR to 888777

Adams County – Tornadoes, Hurricanes, etc.

Sign up for Code Red

EPCRA Notifications – State Level

Ann Nedrow - CDPHE, Daytime Coordinator, Colorado Emergency and Incident Reporting Line ann.nedrow@state.co.us
720-626-2110

Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, A-2
Notifications aren’t released on weekends or evenings

Water

For water concerns, please contact SACWSD or CDPHE

SACWSD
Theresa Friess
Tfriess@sacwsd.org 720 206 0560

CDPHE
David Kurz, P.E.
Lead Wastewater Engineer
Engineering Section
P 303.692.3552 | F 303.758.1398
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246
david.kurz@state.co.us | cdphe.colorado.gov/water-quality

24-hr Environmental Release/Incident Report Line: 1.877.518.5608

Noise Pollution

General Noise Information

The maximum level of safe noise is 70 decibels (dBA) – Sounds at or below 70 dBA are considered safe for our hearing

Sound Levels of various objects/events: Breathing: 10 dBA

• Train horns: 96-110 dBA
• Rustling leaves: 20-30 dBA
• Thunderclap: 120 dBA
• Wail of a siren: 120-140 dBA
• Lawn mowers: 90 dBA
• Subway trains: 90-115 dBA
• Rock concerts: 110-120 dBA
• Noise pollution can be defined as an unwanted sound
• Noise Control Act, 1972, EPA
• NOTE: In the 1970s, EPA coordinated all federal noise control activities through its Office of Noise Abatement and Control. EPA phased out the office's funding in 1982 as part of a shift in federal noise control policy to transfer the primary responsibility of regulating noise to state and local governments. However, the Noise Control Act of 1972 and the Quiet Communities Act of 1978 were never rescinded by Congress and remain in effect today, although they are essentially unfunded.

Main impacts on health:

• Hearing loss
• Sleep disruption
• Cardiovascular disease
• Social handicaps
• Reduced productivity
• Impaired teaching and learning
• Absenteeism
• Increased drug use
• Accidents
• Impair ability to enjoy one’s property and leisure time Increases the frequency of antisocial behavior

The WHO has documented seven categories of adverse health effects of noise pollution on humans:

Hearing impairments
Negative social behavior and annoyance reactions
Annoyance
Interference with Spoken Communication
Sleep Disturbances
Cardiovascular Disturbances
Disturbances in mental health

Effects of Noise Pollution on Human Health and the Environment

The word noise is derived from Latin word ‘‘Nausea’’ implying ‘‘unwanted sound’’ or sound that is loud, unpleasant or unexpected. It can be defined as wrong sound, in the wrong place and at the wrong time
Noise represents an important public health problem that can lead to hearing loss, sleep disruption, cardiovascular disease, social handicaps, reduced productivity, negative social behavior, annoyance reactions, absenteeism and accidents
Environmental Noise and Health

Environmental Noise Pollution: Noise Mapping, Public Health, and Policy - Enda Murphy, Eoin A King - Google Books
The WHO lists the burden of disease from environmental noise:

• Annoyance Sleep disturbance/quality
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension
• Tinnitus
• Impairment of early childhood development and education caused by noise may have lifelong effects on academic achievement and health. Studies and statistics on the effects of chronic exposure to aircraft noise on children have found:
• • Consistent evidence that noise exposure harms cognitive performance
  • Consistent association with impaired well-being and motivation to a slightly more limited extent
• Moderate evidence of effects on blood pressure and catecholamine hormone secretion
• Biological effects
• Well-being
• Medical conditions

Noise Impacts on Animals

Noise Pollution: Environmental Impact and What You Can Do (treehugger.com) It hampers communication - Most animals rely on vocalizations and other acoustic signals to communicate with each other. Interference makes it challenging for animals to find mates, warn of danger, establish territories, and coordinate group activities.
It disrupts reproduction - Noise pollution is distracting and can disrupt breeding behaviors and lead to diminished reproductive success. For instance, loud noises near nesting sites can cause birds to abandon their nests.
It compromises dwindling habitats - Noise can reduce the quality of usable habitat, something that is already in critical decline.
It alters foraging patterns - Noise pollution can change the foraging patterns of animals. For example, ship noise can cause marine mammals to avoid certain feeding grounds.
It leads to stress and health issues - Just like in human animals, prolonged exposure to loud and constant noise can lead to chronic stress in non-human animals, which can have many adverse effects.
It drowns out environmental cues - Noise p

Colorado Entities that Have Noise Ordinances

City of Arvada
City of Aurora
City of Boulder
Boulder County
City of Centennial
City of Colorado Springs
City of Fort Collins
City of Greeley
City of Lakewood
City of Longmont
City of Loveland
City of Pueblo
City of Thornton
City of Westminster

Other Resources

Noise Pollution (nationalgeographic.org) Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives by Melissa Bruntlett and Chris Bruntlett

www.NoiseOFF.org HYPERLINK "https://www.c3gov.com/www.nonoise.org"www.nonoise.org HYPERLINK "https://www.c3gov.com/www.noisefree.org"www.noisefree.org HYPERLINK "https://www.c3gov.com/www.lhh.org/noise"www.lhh.org/noise

Critical to the success of any City, sustainability policy is the ability and commitment to invest resources towards implementing and sustaining this work. The community will recognize the allocation of City funds as a demonstration of genuine commitment to community health and sustainability; therefore, funding programs and hiring dedicated staff to manage grant requests and projects, along with providing support for community-level incentive programs, will work to build trust with the community. The municipality needs to develop a mechanism (i.e., project or scholarship) to seed efficiencies, encourage innovation, and leverage savings into more efficiencies. Innovative projects support and enhance the City’s application of sustainable thinking and decision-making.

Most of the food we eat comes from sources hundreds or thousands of miles away. In most communities, less than 3% of food consumption is locally grown and locally produced. Sustainable, local, and organic food production and distribution strategies have enjoyed broadened community support in recent years. Nationally, the U.S. organic industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. Studies have shown that small farms reinvest more money into local food economies by purchasing feed, seed, and other materials from local businesses. Since 1999, the global land area farmed organically has expanded more than threefold. Focused development of our local food network is a potential economic catalyst with many social and environmental benefits such as reducing obesity and increasing access to healthy food.

Community Gardens in Commerce City:

• Village Crest Apartments
• AnyThink Library
• Email us with any suggestions for locations for more gardens!

Poster: Be a Sticker Stickler(PDF, 584KB) | Spanish(PDF, 584KB) 

Learn more about keeping Chickens and Bees in Commerce City.

Forest canopies aid in carbon dioxide absorption, give access to shade, reduce air conditioning needs, increase property values, helps with stormwater absorption, allows traffic calming along streets and pedestrian buffers from vehicles, and acts as habitat for wildlife. Maintaining natural species cover promotes and restores biodiversity and conserves water. Access to green spaces and adequate tree canopy plays a critical mitigating role in environmental and public health, particularly as temperatures grow hotter and for vulnerable communities. Biodiversity is crucial to the resilience of natural ecosystems. C3’s current tree canopy level is at 4%, which is well below the 24% level recommended for a prairie ecosystem.

Water challenges will undoubtedly continue to plague the City and the State as drought conditions contribute to the over-extraction of State waters and increases in the cost of water. Policies that encourage conservation, low impact development, and investment in infrastructure upgrades will be crucial to guaranteeing the continuation of Commerce City's water supplies and water quality.

Generally, over 50% of water commercially and residentially is used for irrigation, making irrigation efficiency one of the easiest ways to reduce potable water consumption. The city uses water for maintaining parks, street medians, and operating city facilities. Using native, drought-tolerant landscaping represents one way to decrease the demand for landscape irrigation and address climate change adaptation strategies. Indoor water use can be reduced through audits and using WaterSense features.