Health Department Green Lights Illegal Air Pollution

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has given the green light for the CEMEX cement plant in Lyons to continue to illegally pollute the air and endanger the local community.

We all remember that earlier this year, both Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the EPA put CEMEX on notice of hundreds of violations of the Clean Air Act. The most serious violations involve the failure of CEMEX to install up-to-date pollution controls. Both Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the EPA are gearing up to take CEMEX to court.

As one person bluntly commented: "When W's EPA puts you on notice you know you've really F'd up."

But the State of Colorado apparently thinks there's no problem. Late last week, the Department of Public Health and Environment issued a permit to CEMEX allowing the company to continue operating the Lyons cement plant as it always has-in violation of clean air laws.

The State of Colorado could have denied CEMEX its permit to continue operating, and by all measures, a denial was warranted. Instead, the State has turned a blind eye to illegal air pollution.

The saving grace in all this is that Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the EPA are actually doing something to clean up the CEMEX cement plant. Although the State seems content to sign off on illegal air pollution, we feel otherwise. It may be a fight to clean up CEMEX, but that's a fight we can't afford to back down from.