Colorado has three years to lower ground-level ozone pollution to meet federal standards, and this summer’s hazy skies — caused by oil and gas drilling, heavy vehicle traffic and wildfire smoke — are putting the state in a hole as it’s already logged more dirty air days than in all of 2023.

“Our state has taken a lot of steps to improve air quality, but you can see it in the skies, you can see it in the air, that we still have work to do,” said Kirsten Schatz, clean air advocate for the Colorado Public Interest Research Group.

Two months into the 2024 summer ozone season, the Front Range already has recorded more high ozone days than the entire summer of 2023. As of Monday, which is the most recent data available, ozone levels had exceeded federal air quality standards on 28 days. At the same point in 2023, there had been 27 high-ozone days.

The summer ozone season runs from June 1 to Aug. 31. However, the region encompassing metro Denver and the northern Front Range this year recorded its first high ozone day in May, and in some years ozone pollution exceeds federal standards into mid-September.

The region is failing to meet two air quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The first benchmark is to lower average ozone pollution to a 2008 standard of 75 parts per billion. The northern Front Range is in what’s called “severe non-attainment” for that number, meaning motorists must use a more expensive blend of gasoline during the summer and more businesses must apply for federal permits that regulate how much pollution they spill into the air.

The second benchmark requires the region to lower its average ozone pollution to a 2015 standard of 70 parts per billion, considered the most acceptable level of air pollution for human health. In July, the EPA downgraded the northern Front Range to be in serious violation of that standard as the region’s ozone level now sits at 81 parts per billion. The state must now submit to the EPA a new plan for lowering emissions.

Colorado needs to meet both EPA benchmarks by 2027, or it will be downgraded again and face more federal regulation.

Of the 28 days the state has recorded high ozone pollution levels, 17 exceeded the 2008 standard of 70 parts per billion, according to data compiled by the Regional Air Quality Council, an organization that advises the state on how to reduce air pollution.

That’s bad news for the region after state air regulators predicted Colorado would be able to meet that standard by the 2027 deadline. The EPA calculates average ozone pollution levels on a three-year average, so this summer’s bad numbers will drag down the final grade.

“It’s not a good first year to have,” said Mike Silverstein, the air quality council’s executive director.

Smoke from wildfires near and far

Ground-level ozone pollution forms on hot summer days when volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides react in the sunlight. Those compounds and gases are released by oil and gas wells and refineries, automobiles on the road, fumes from paint and other industrial chemicals, and gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.

It forms a smog that can cause the skies to become brown or hazy, and it is harmful to people, especially those with lung and heart disease, the elderly and children. Ground-level ozone is different than the ozone in the atmosphere that protects Earth from the sun’s powerful rays.

Wildfire smoke blowing from Canada and the Pacific Northwest did not help Colorado’s pollution levels in July, and then multiple fires erupted along the Front Range over the past week, creating homegrown pollution from fine particulate matter such as smoke, soot and ash. Ultimately, though, the heavy smoke days could be wiped from the calculations from 2024, but that decision will be made at a later date.

Still, June also saw multiple high ozone days, and air quality experts say much of the pollution originates at home in Colorado and cannot be blamed on outside influences.

The out-of-state wildfire smoke sent ozone levels skyrocketing the week of July 21 to 27, Silverstein said, but it’s not the reason the numbers are high. The week prior saw ozone levels above federal standards, too, and wildfire smoke had not drifted into the region.

“Pull the wildfires out and we would probably still have had high ozone,” he said.

Jeremy Nichols, senior advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, also warned that wildfires should not be used as an excuse for the region’s air pollution.

“While the wildfires are out of our control, there is a whole bunch of air pollution we can control,” he said. “I don’t want to let that cover up the ugliness that existed here in the first place.”

Nichols blames oil and gas drilling for the region’s smog. The state is not doing enough to regulate the industry, he said.

“We actually need to recognize we are at a point where oil and gas needs to stop drilling on high ozone days,” Nichols said. “Just like we’re told to stay home on high ozone days, business as usual needs to stop. I don’t think we’ve clamped down on them and in many respects they are getting a free pass to pollute.”

Legislation that would have prevented drilling on high ozone days failed during the 2024 session.

However, the air quality council has approved two measures to reduce emissions in the oil fields and is preparing to send those to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for approval.

One proposal would require drilling companies to eliminate emissions from pneumatic actuating devices, equipment driven by pressurized gas to open and close valves in pipelines, Silverstein said. Oil companies already are required to make 50% of those devices emission-free, and the federal government also is requiring them to be 100% emission-free by 2035. But Colorado’s proposal would accelerate the timeline, he said.

The second proposal would tell companies to stop performing blowdowns, which is when workers vent fumes from pipelines before beginning maintenance to clear explosive gases, when an ozone alert is issued, Silverstein said.

“There are thousands of these very small events, but these small events add up to significant activity,” he said.

Gabby Richmond, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said the industry supports the new regulations. She said operators also were electrifying operations where possible and voluntarily delaying operational activities on high ozone days.

“Our industry values clean air, and we are committed to pioneering innovative solutions that protect our environment and make Colorado a great place to live,” Richmond said in a statement. “As a part of this commitment, we have significantly reduced ozone-causing emissions by over 50% through technology, regulatory initiatives and voluntary measures — all in the spirit of being good neighbors in the communities where we live and work.”

“Knock down emissions where we can”

Meanwhile, people who live in metro Denver and the northern Front Range are asked to do their part, too.

When the state health department issues an ozone action alert — which is a forecast for high pollution levels — people are asked to limit driving as much as possible. They also are asked to avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment until later in the day when the sun starts dropping behind the mountains and temperatures fall.

It would be easy to blame Colorado’s ozone pollution on its geography, global climate change that is raising temperatures, and pollution blowing from other countries and states, Silverstein said. But Colorado has a responsibility to do its part.

“We have 4 million people and a big oil and gas field and lots of industrial activity and all of the things related to human activity all in one concentrated location with a great mountain backdrop, but it comes with a bit of a price,” he said. “So it’s up to us to find the strategies to knock down emissions where we can.”

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Originally Published: August 4, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.

DENVER – The scorching heat wave continues in Denver’s weather forecast for Sunday as the afternoon high temperature is set to soar to near-record levels most likely reaching 100 degrees yet again this summer, not something normally seen this many times

“Already this year we’ve had four 100-degree days and we could have one more as we get through this weekend,” said Denver7 Meteorologist Stacey Donaldson.

The metro’s official weather gauge at Denver International Airport on average sees only a single 100-degree day per year, added Donaldson.

In 2023, Denver’s high temp never reached 100 degrees. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder,the record high for Sunday, August 4 was 98° set in 2022 and also in previous years.

Sunday’s high temp is forecasted to be around 100 degrees in Denver.

“We’ll still see the smoke and haze across the Front Range as we go through the afternoon and it’ll be sunny and hot,” said Donaldson.

A heat advisory is set to take effect for Denver metro communities and the northern Front Range starting at 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. Sunday.

‘Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,’ the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder advised.

‘Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke,’ it continued.

Fort Collins, Boulder, Greeley, Golden were among many other Colorado communities under the advisory.

The extreme heat is among many other tough conditions facing firefighters working to knock down Colorado’s wildfires. While rain and cooler temps were welcomed, officials on Friday expressed concern lighting could spark fires.

Denver7

There is relief from the heat in Denver’s 7 to 10-day weather forecast.

“Good news, cooler and wetter weather arrives in Denver by next week – with temperatures, believe it or not, in the 70s and 80s for afternoon highs” she said.

Toward the end of next week a stormy and wet weather pattern will drop temperatures bringing relief from the scorching heat for the Front Range.Here’s Denver’s forecast afternoon high temps:

• Sun: 100°: Few mountain storms
• Mon: 93°: Scattered late storms
• Tue: 88°: PM storms
• Wed: 85°: PM storms
• Thu: 80°: PM storms
• Fri: 78°: PM storms

Before next week’s cooldown, Donaldson said Sunday will bring a few scattered storms in the mountains. “They will be few and far in between,” she said.

NWS Boulder

DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream

Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.

The early look at the NFL’s new kickoff rule in Thursday night’s Hall of Fame preseason game didn’t provide much interesting data.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton doesn’t think the preseason as a whole will be much more fruitful. The veteran coach said Denver might use a joint practice with Green Bay to work on the real stuff, but otherwise figures most teams will play coy until the regular season.

“Every team in the league will hold on to some of the things they want to do for Week 1,” Payton said. “I was talking to (former referee) Walt Anderson today and I said, ‘Walt, you’re not going to see in the preseason. You just aren’t.’ … And I would tell you this — when we get to Week 1, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was another tweak or two (to the rules) that they’ve made a change on. Not significant.”

Payton has an idea on that front.

The new rule has three possible starting yardages — the 20 on a ball that hits in the landing zone (from the 20 to the goal line) and rolls into the end zone, the 30 for a traditional touchback and the 40 for a ball that goes out of bounds or lands short of the landing zone.

Payton said he’d prefer any “box foul” — out of bounds, short of the landing zone or touchback — starts at the 35.

That, he said, makes the rule easier to follow for fans.

“I get the box. I like it,” Payton said. “If the analytics tell me that the average drive start or average return is past the 30, well, what do you think is going to start happening? Touchbacks. We’re going to be right back to where we were, and that’s the last thing we want. We’ve got to pay attention to that. And the other thing I think is significant is I don’t like the three different starting spots. … If it’s outside the box, put it at the same spot. I think right now it’ll take a lot of fans a lot of time to figure out the three spots.”

The 35-yard line also would be penalty enough to make teams think twice about touchbacks.

“I’m not going to be comfortable with saying, hey, kick a touchback and give them the ball at the 35,” he said. “Now maybe in the fourth quarter with a two-touchdown lead, but the 30, look, just do the math. If the average return is past the 30 and we’re getting explosives, there’s times where I’m going to look at the scoreboard and say, hey, we’re up 10 here in the third quarter, we might be comfortable with the 30.

“I feel like the 35 would give us what we initially did all this work for. Make a box foul. That’s easy. Make it a box foul and there’s two spots. But right now that’s not where it’s at and we’re pushing.”

Dog days. The Broncos polished off a six-day week of camp practices and now the players are off Sunday before ramping up for another full week. They’ll practice Monday through Thursday in normal camp fashion and then do prep for their preseason opener against Indianapolis Friday and in Saturday’s walkthrough before traveling East.

“All next week we’ve already shelled out all the way through Saturday’s walkthrough and the (bus) to the airport,” Payton said. “Every minute is accounted for for next week.”

While the structure of practice is set, Payton said the staff hadn’t finalized exactly how the quarterbacks will rotate through the week. He also said playing time for the game will be determined later next week.

One step toward those decisions: The staff meets Sunday to talk through the roster, personnel and the coming week.

Fantasy-free TE. Adam Trautman does not care about fantasy football.

You won’t find the Broncos tight end near the top of positional lists while studying for your fantasy draft, nor will you likely throw the ball deep to him often in Madden. But he’s not sweating it.

“Yeah, thanks for asking that. I don’t care,” Trautman said. “I couldn’t care less about fantasy. … (People) gauge a lot of how good you are off of fantasy, but that’s not really how it is.”

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Originally Published: August 3, 2024 at 2:35 p.m.