Colorados starting the process of possibly creating stricter regulations for refineries in the state.This week, the state Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) held the first few public meetings in a series designe d to help shape future rules governing the air quality impacts of refineries.The meetings come after a third-party report requested by CDPHEs Air Quality Division showed that other refineries across the country have to meet stricter equipment emission standards than Suncor, Colorados sole petroleum refinery.Sunocos neighboring communities have been asking for more accountability for years.Ive had a bad and often traumatized relationship with Suncorp growing up in North Denver, said Ean Tafoya, the vice president of state programs at environmental nonprofit Green Latinos. My mother is still living there. I get the alerts like everyone else.The report says that in Colorado, Suncor is the highest source of volatile organic compound emissions. It ranks eighth for sulfur dioxide, ninth for carbon monoxide and 10th for nitrogen oxide. Those carbon chemicals create smog and harm respiratory systems.In late July, Suncor sent a notification to neighbors warning of increased smoke and flaring after a third-party electrical power issue knocked out operations at the facility. Residents said that alert wasnt enough.We understand there are health impacts. We understand that there are environmental impacts. We understand there are climate impacts, said Stefanie Shoup, deputy director of regulatory affairs for the Air Quality Division, in a Saturday public meeting. Therefore, our mission is to figure out technically and cost effectively how can we reduce emissions at this facility.She and other division staff are looking into changing rules surrounding emissions from flares, actions during non-operational hours and communication with neighbors like Tafoya.Im just one community member and so is my mother who are impacted by this, but we're the leaders that are fighting for the change, he said.Denver7 reached out to Suncor for a statement on the public meetings and the state refinery report. We are still working to get those answers.The next public meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 1.CDPHE Air Quality division is scheduled to present a rule proposal by the end of the year. ...read more read less