Hi John,

Day in and day out, the Trump administration is rolling out new ways to tear down lifesaving environmental regulations and demonize people who speak up for clean air and water.

But in the face of this national pressure, Earthworks is on the ground in places like Commerce City, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, which, for too long, has had to claw and fight for clean air and water.

Local folks, working shoulder to shoulder with Earthworks, have been organizing and winning to hold the Suncor refinery accountable for limiting the pollution they release into the air.

This is proof of why our work is so vital in communities like this.

Fighting for clean air and community

The last few years we’ve partnered with local leaders to get our air quality data and their voices into decisionmaking. Industry continually downplays the validity of community testimony even when the community comes with data.

In January, Cultivando and Green House Connection Center (The GHCC) appeared before the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) during a rulemaking.

The Commission changed policy and is now prioritizing taking action on dangerous air pollution like benzene, hydrogen sulfide, and formaldehyde. This is a huge step forward for the community, families and children! And it’s people like you who help make this critical work happen

How we build power together

Our hard work began to sprout in October 2024 with an in-person tour that brought Colorado Air Quality Control Commission staff, Commissioners, and the State Board of Health directly into one of the most polluted neighborhoods in the state.

Commerce City Community Working Together

We shared firsthand experiences from impacted community members, highlighted air quality data collected by Cultivando, and took participants on the ground at Suncor to view pollution unseen with the naked eye with the help of Earthworks’ OGI camera.

This was made possible by months and years of partnership between Earthworks and Cultivando. You helped make this win possible.

We win when we show up, when we listen, and when we fight for a fair opportunity to build thriving communities.

We have our work cut out for us as the Trump administration continues to cut science, research, the EPA and other agencies that exist to protect people. But our partnerships on the ground across the country proves that we can take on Big Oil and Gas and mining and stop them from polluting our communities.

Together, we win. Thank you so much for being part of Earthworks.

In Solidarity,

Andrew Klooster
Colorado Field Advocate, Earthworks

P.S. You can get the full story about this project and win in my blog post, Advocating with Compassion: A Win for Clean Air in Commerce City and North Denver.