Biden Administration blames rising gas prices on Russia's invasion, but data shows cost was growing long before | Pixabay/Paul Brennan
Biden Administration blames rising gas prices on Russia's invasion, but data shows cost was growing long before | Pixabay/Paul Brennan
The State of Colorado announced has announced the activation of the State Emergency Operations plan to assist with potential problems with the fuel supply chain after the temporary shutdown of the Suncor oil and gas refinery in Commerce City.
In a Jan. 1 news release, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis authorized the activation of the Operations Plan to ensure that the state "utilizes all necessary tools to provide temporary regulatory relief to reduce any potential fuel supply chain" risk in Colorado caused by the shutdown at the Suncor. Such relief will go to trucking hours, truck weight limits and streamlined pipeline transporting regulations, the release stated.
Suncor announced on Dec. 28 that its Commerce City refinery had been forced to close four days earlier because of damage to equipment by extreme cold.
"Consistent with our operational excellence and safe operating practice, on December 24th it was determined that the entire facility would be shut down and put into safe mode to allow for the inspection of all units and repair of the damaged equipment," the release stated. "The inspection and repair of the damaged equipment is ongoing. Based on our current assessment we anticipate a progressive restart of the facility with a return to full operations expected to be completed by late Q1 2023."
Colorado Public Radio reported that the refinery supplies up to 40 percent of all gasoline sold in the state. It also produces asphalt and 1/3 of the diesel fuel for jets at the Denver International Airport. As a result, Colorado residents are likely to see a disruption in gas supply, including pumps being turned off in order to conserve supply for entities such as hospitals, as well as possibly rising prices at the pump.
The Financial Post reported that multiple fires had been reported at the facility, including one on Dec. 19 and another on Dec. 27, and the company was working to shut the refinery down to inspect the damage.
"Suncor has reported a series of excess emission events, including releases of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, visible smoke and an “opacity exceedance,” which is how the state refers to the release of dust or other visible particles," the state health department told news outlets. The report further stated that there was "no public health emergency at this time related to the shutdown of the refinery."
According to KDVR, Suncor company has paid a record $9 million settlement with the state over air quality issues in the past, and that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency objected to an air permit that state regulators were reviewing more than 10 years after it expired.
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