The Water Quality Control Division (the Division) in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is tasked with administering water quality control programs to protect waters of the state. The Division provides education, compliance assistance, permits, inspections and enforcement to promote prevention, control and abatement of water pollution. Per HB121119, the Division has been meeting since June (a total of 10 meetings) with stakeholders in the construction industry and other interested parties to develop a more responsive, streamlined process to improve compliance, reduce violations and provide timely enforcement. This report includes the results of this collaborative effort, including actions to develop more streamlined and responsive processes and recommendations for moving forward.
The federal Clean Water Act requires that stormwater discharges from certain types of facilities be authorized under stormwater discharge permits. The goal of the stormwater permits program is to reduce the amount of pollutants entering streams, lakes and rivers as a result of runoff from residential, commercial and industrial areas. The original 1990 regulation covered municipal (i.e., publicly-owned) storm sewer systems for municipalities over 100,000 population. The regulation was expanded in 1999 to include smaller municipalities as well. This expansion of the program is referred to as Phase II.
Air quality discussions address the emissions of pollutants from transportation systems which can be harmful to human beings, the natural environment, and the integrity of man-made materials. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducts air quality evaluations for its projects. The CDOT Environmental Programs Branch (EPB) or Regional Air Quality Specialist evaluates the potential for air quality impacts from a proposed transportation project and then determines if coordination with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment Air Pollution Control Division.
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) designed this study to address four related key questions, which are a subset of the wider dialogue on natural gas: 1. What are the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with shale gas compared to conventional natural gas and other fuels used to generate electricity?; 2. What are the existing legal and regulatory frameworks governing unconventional gas development at federal, state, and local levels, and how are they changing in response to the rapid industry growth and public concerns?; 3. How are natural gas production companies changing their water-related practices?; and 4. How might demand for natural gas in the electric sector respond to a variety of policy and technology developments over the next 20 to 40 years?
The purpose of this project is to identify a method to cost-effectively utilize manure and other abundant agricultural wastes to produce useful energy. A fuel made from this resource has the potential to reduce farmers' waste disposal and energy expenses, mitigate negative environmental impacts caused by excessive and inappropriately stored manure, and improve the economic viability of farm operations. This research project designed, produced and tested several samples of "straw-pooh" fuel briquettes that could be co-fired with coal in utility-scale power plants, burned on site to produce heat and power for agricultural operations, or used in a medium-scale application, such as district heating (to provide heat to one or more large buildings or structures).
