Green Latinos, et al. v. Suncor Energy (U.S.A.), Inc.

Denver, Colorado, environmental law lawyers represented the Plaintiffs on a citizens suit to enforce the Clean Air Act (43 U.S. 7604.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Over twenty years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency entered
into consent decrees with the Valero Energy Corporation and Conoco Phillips
to enforce the Clean Air Act (CAA) with respect to petroleum refineries. Those
consent decrees covered refinery plants in Commerce City, Colorado that are
now owned and operated by Suncor Energy (U.S.A.), Inc. In spite of this
decades-old enforcement initiative by EPA, however, the Commerce City
refinery plants continue to emit air pollution. A group of environmental
organizations, on behalf of their members affected by the pollution, sued
Suncor Energy to enforce the CAA’s mandate.

The district court therefore dismissed the environmental organizations’
operative complaint and entered final judgment for Suncor on May 23, 2025.

Reversed and remanded.