Emergency backup generators on military bases were exempted from state emissions rules by state law in 2022, but now the Environmental Protection Agency is requesting two public comment hearings before it amends the State Implementation Plan for cutting ozone emissions.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Pollution Control Division is hosting the two virtual comment hearings on from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 21,  and from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 26.

Registration is required using the above links.

The meeting will include an overview presentation on the revision to the statewide implementation plan and opportunities to share verbal public comments.

Staff from the United States Department of Defense may join hearings to explain the impact of this rule change on using emergency generators.

Because some of these generators are located in the Denver Metro North Front Range ozone nonattainment region, Colorado had to identify and measure emissions from more than 160 stationary generators of many different types.

The 2022 letter from the state to the EPA listed each generator and quantified their emissions, concluding that they cause a negligible impact on air quality and are necessary for emergency operations.

“The exemption for these emergency engines requires a change to Colorado’s State Implementation Plan, which in turn needs to be approved by EPA,” said Leah Schleifer, spokesperson for CDPHE. “The state submitted the revisions to the plan based on the changes contained in the bill for EPA approval. At that time, EPA requested that the state offer additional opportunity for public comment due to its implications for the State Implementation Plan.”