Safety and environment information

We monitor the air and water and are dedicated to continuing to provide information for the community on these issues. More information on these processes can be found in the sections below.

Air

In response to community feedback, we voluntarily launched an enhanced community air monitoring program in 2021. Air monitoring is the measurement of ambient air pollution levels in a particular area using various technologies and analysis methods.

On January 1, 2023, we launched a fenceline monitoring program. Fenceline air monitoring systems provide air quality information to the public about levels of covered air toxics at or near a facility’s boundaries.

Air emissions regulations

We have multiple reporting requirements regarding air emissions. Depending upon the specific rule, regulation, or permit limit, the refinery may be required to notify CDPHE, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Response Center (NRC), Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), or the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). Reporting is required whenever a permit limit is exceeded or whenever a rule requires notification to a certain agency, such as exceeding a reportable quantity in 24 hours. Some notifications are made right away, while others are typically reported the following business day.

Water

Water permit

Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc. is authorized to discharge wastewater and storm water to Sand Creek in accordance with the requirements of discharge permits issued by the Water Quality Control Division (WQCD) under the Colorado Discharge Permit System (CDPS). Permits are typically renewed on a five-year cycle. Effluent limits and permit requirements can and do change during each renewal cycle. 

Sand Creek

Sand Creek is a body of water located near the Commerce City Refinery. We actively monitor and protect Sand Creek by using subsurface boundary walls along the water line and ground water monitoring wells.

We also routinely sample Sand Creek surface water to ensure the barrier walls are performing as intended.

In the summer of 2021, the refinery replaced the existing underground barrier wall and built a second, parallel barrier wall. These enhancements improved conditions at the boundaries of the refinery.

Wastewater treatment plant

Many industrial processes, including petroleum refining, use water. Our Commerce City Refinery uses both city water and collected groundwater for steam production and cooling, as well as to wash out the natural contaminants in crude oil, like salts and minerals, to prevent corrosion in our processing units.

Much of this water is recycled for reuse at our facility, and the remaining portion is treated and discharged to Sand Creek, under a permit issued by CDPHE. In September 2012, stricter compliance criteria were set on the refinery discharge water, effective in January 2018. To meet the new criteria, the Commerce City Refinery commissioned a $65 million USD upgrade to our existing wastewater treatment facility. The upgrade was completed in December 2017 and leverages a unique technology called membrane ultrafiltration to treat and filter the water. Our facility is one of the first in North America to use this technology in treating refinery wastewater streams.

Alarm information

The community surrounding the Commerce City Refinery may hear various types of alarms. The alarm system is tested every day at 12 p.m. and is used any time an incident occurs as part of our emergency management procedures. Alarm protocols are in place to alert operations teams to assess the situation and take the appropriate actions to address it. These protocols align with our best practices regarding escalating quickly, intervening safely, and de-escalating as required. Any alarms heard by the community are meant for the refinery personnel and do not require action from the public in all cases. As part of our new Refinery Notifications system, subscribers may also get a notification when an alarm sounds. Click here to learn more about this system.

In the case of an emergency that requires immediate action by the community, we will continue to use the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) through Adams County to notify the community surrounding the refinery.

There are four types of alarms you may hear as a community member near the refinery. The alarms will state the incident type and location:

Investigations

The refinery routinely investigates the causes of various operational events that occur at the facility and compiles reports based on the findings of the investigation. View available reports below:

Reportable event summaries

The refinery complies with many air, water, and hazardous materials-related reporting requirements, including reports required by our permits. 

For detailed information on our permits, see the Air and Water sections above.

We submit reports to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at different times depending on applicable requirements, but you can now view a monthly summary of what we have submitted in each category:

To view individual reports and other information that has been published on the Colorado Department of Health and Environment's website, visit:

• Air
• Water and hazardous materials