EPA Denies Petition to Object to Clean Air Act Operating Permit for Holly Energy Partners Denver Products Terminal

On January 6, 2026, the EPA Administrator issued a formal order denying a petition filed on September 2, 2025, by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). The petition had requested that the EPA exercise its authority under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Title V to formally object to an operating permit issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to Holly Energy Partners, L.P. for its Denver Products Terminal in Adams County, Colorado. Under the CAA Title V permitting program, citizens and organizations may petition the EPA to object to state-issued operating permits if they believe the permits do not comply with applicable federal requirements. The EPA Administrator reviews such petitions and may either grant an objection — requiring the state to revise the permit — or deny it if the permit is deemed compliant. In this case, the EPA Administrator determined that the CBD's petition did not demonstrate that the CDPHE permit for the Holly Energy Partners facility failed to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act or applicable regulations. As a result, the permit issued by Colorado's environmental agency was allowed to stand without federal modification or objection. This decision affects the Denver Products Terminal's operational authorization and signals that the facility's air emissions controls and permit conditions were found to be sufficiently compliant with federal clean air standards as evaluated by the EPA.

AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.