Local man fined for violations of Colorado air pollution act

Local property owner David Dillie faced a $350 fine this August after officials from the state department of health completed an investigation that found Dillie in violation of the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act stemming from a late March incident near Cutthroat Bay.

The fine assessed on Dillie, levied by the Air Pollution Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, was for violation of state statutes related to open burning activities and the burning of a demolished building located on Grand County Road 64. The incident occurred on March 24 of this year and was initially reported by a Grand Lake firefighter who noticed a large fire on Dillie’s property while driving through the area.

According to a settlement agreement reached between Dillie and the Air Pollution Control Division in late March officials from Grand County Natural Resources were notified that Dillie had conducted an unpermitted burn of a demolished building on property he owned on CR 64. An inspector from the Air Pollution Control Division opened an investigation in early April.

“The burned debris included remnants of plastics, a mattress, a bicycle, automobile, tires, wooden construction materials, and other items not permitted for open burning,” states the settlement agreement.

The settlement agreement notes that open burning permits, which Dillie did not acquire, do not allow for the burning of the items found at the burn site by the state inspector.

“Open burning permits allow for the burning of only untreated, natural wood, leaves, dry prairie grass, slash and weeds,” states the agreement.

Under the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act state officials can levied fines as high as $15,000 per day for each violation of the act. Officials from the state noted that the $350 fine levied on Dillie “takes into account, among other factors, the magnitude and severity of the violation, cooperation as well as the prior history of violations of air quality.”

“The (Air Quality Control) Division acknowledges that Mr. Dillie has appropriately and adequately addressed all compliance issues identified,” states the settlement.

Officials from the Air Pollution Control Division previously confirmed that materials from the burned demolished building tested positive for asbestos though the settlement agreement with Dillie makes no mention of the carcinogenic mineral, which was a common additive in construction materials for many decades.

David Dillie declined to comment on this article.