CONTACT: Sasha Tenenbaum
Senior Manager, Media and Public Engagement
stenenbaum@momscleanairforce.org
(917) 887-0146
In response to ongoing news that the Suncor Energy oil refinery outside of Denver, Colorado has been the source of yet more toxic spills in the communities surrounding its facility, Moms Clean Air Force/EcoMadres Colorado State Coordinator, Shaina Oliver issued the following statement:
“Families have a right to know what they are breathing and drinking. But here in Commerce City, Colorado, our ability to protect our families’ health has gone from bad to worse.
“As a mother to 4 growing children and an Indigenous Tribal member of the Navajo, I take my children’s health and well-being seriously—and I teach them about the sacredness of our shared natural resources. But all the precautions in the world can’t protect my family and community from the negligence that we’ve seen from Colorado’s only oil and gas refinery, Suncor.
“For years, Suncor has refused to notify the public about the toxic pollution it spews into our air and drinking water at critical junctures—toxic pollution that can cause asthma, respiratory diseases, cancer and other health harms. We live in fear and constant stress because we are living just a few miles downstream of an oil refinery known for its repeat pollution violations. What do we know of the air we breathe and the water we drink? Is it safe?
“As Diné Navajo, we honor father sky and mother earth. We pledge to protect that which sustains life on earth. It’s why we must stand up against polluters who put their profits over we the people. We demand regulatory action, enforced protections and full accountability now.
“The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) must take steps to inform the public about how we were impacted by the refinery’s recent emission which occurred while it was apparently shut down. We need to know what risks remain in the aftermath and how CDPHE is going to stop Suncor from ever doing this again. Meanwhile, it’s our lives and health that hang in the balance as we fight this environmental injustice.”
Shaina Oliver is a Tribal member of the Navajo Nation living in Commerce City with her family of 6 where she serves as one of the Colorado organizers for Moms Clean Air Force.