Denver's Dirty Little Secret Part 2

The city of Denver continues to disappoint those of us who enjoy breathing clean air.

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is right now working to secure additional smog reductions in the Denver metro area. Called the Saving Our Health From Smog Plan, it calls for a 53% reduction in smog forming pollution from coal burning power plants. It would require these plants to cut smog forming pollution to the same degree that power plants across this country are already doing.

The Plan would help us all breathe easier in the summertime smog season. That's something worth supporting. Unless you're the city of Denver, apparently.

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action recently invited the Denver Department of Environmental Health to partner in supporting the Saving Our Health From Smog Plan. Their response:

Denver does not want to invest effort at this time on a proposal that may have to be re-worked if we indeed are out of attainment.

"Attainment" refers to whether or not we're violating health standards for smog. The Department of Environmental Health's response means they won't do anything to protect our health from smog unless we violate these health standards. That seems a bit counterintuitive, doesn't it?

When Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action pressed the issue, the Department of Environmental Health responded, "We have only limited resources to invest in policy and rulemaking."

Since it's the policy and rulemaking that actually get us the clean air we need, the city of Denver's response is a telling sign that priorities in this city are woefully misplaced.

It also exposes the city's unwillingness to work with its citizen partners. Remember, Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is the one investing most of the resources in the Saving Our Health From Smog Plan. The city of Denver was just asked to tag along.

Is being "green" in Denver just another specious marketing device? The city of Denver's track record of failing to work with citizens to help clear the air certainly leads us to that conclusion.

When it comes to cleaning up air pollution, don't hold your breath waiting for the city of Denver to step up, or even tag along for that matter.