Air quality has deteriorated across the Denver metro area since 2015, the latest data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows.

• Last September, the EPA officially downgraded the Front Range from a "serious" to "severe" air quality violator after repeated offenses of federal ozone standards.

State of breathing: Colorado's peak season for ozone starts next month, when state health officials begin issuing pollution alerts for the Front Range that run through August.

Why it matters: Fine particles, generated from fossil fuel-burning and other sources, can enter our bodies when we breathe, making their way to the lungs or bloodstream and causing myriad health problems, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.

• They are linked to nearly 11,000 needless deaths across the U.S. annually, and put non-white and low-income Americans at higher risk.

By the numbers: The three-year rolling annual average concentration of fine particle pollution across the Denver area was 8.1 micrograms per cubic meter as of 2021 compared to 6.7 in 2015 — a 21% increase, though still below the national average of 8.5.

• Other Front Range cities also saw their air quality worsen. Air pollution levels spiked by 26% in Greeley and 20% in Boulder.

Be smart: Concentrations below 12 micrograms per cubic meter are considered healthy, the EPA says — though it is seeking to tighten that standard.

What's next: State lawmakers are pushing a bill aimed at combating ozone pollution levels, though it was significantly weakened under pressure from the Polis administration and the oil and gas industry.

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An eastbound drive through the Eisenhower-Johnson tunnel on Interstate 70 is literally a rollercoaster right now.

Driving the news: A cold and snowy winter at the Continental Divide tunnel is leading to an unusual amount of frost heaves that created a series of humps in the pavement, prompting flashing warnings and lower speeds.

How it works: Snowmelt flowing between the mountain and the tunnel walls seeps under the highway, moving soil and refreezing at night.

What's happening: The current drains at the tunnel are blocked with ice and debris, making the problem worse.

• Transportation crews have drilled eight 3/4-inch holes in the pavement to relieve the pressure. Other repairs are planned, state officials tell John.

Photo gallery: The history of the Eisenhower tunnel at 50 years

💬 Capitol Pulse is a weekly feature to catch up quick on what's happening at the Legislature.

Three years ago, in the crush of the pandemic, hospitals and drugmakers were the saviors and drew praise from Colorado's elected leaders.

Yes, but: Now, with those memories fading, hospitals and prescription drug companies are the adversaries as policymakers look to curtail rising health care costs in the private market.

Why it matters: The reversal of fortunes is one of the defining battles at the Colorado Capitol, one persisting into this session's final days.

State of play: Led by Gov. Jared Polis, Democrats advanced three major bills designed to force hospitals to lower costs. They are meant to:

1. Reduce unexpected charges by prohibiting facility fees on preventive care and requiring more disclosures before these often-unknown charges are added to appointments.
2. Add new requirements to force hospitals to make data public about their charges and expenditures.
3. Make nonprofit hospitals justify their tax-exempt status by demonstrating their community benefit with input from the public.

Of note: The first two bills were still pending in the Legislature ahead of Monday's adjournment deadline, and the third awaits the governor's signature.

Keep reading

🚩 Colorado's judicial discipline commission made the unprecedented decision to request a public censure of former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan "Ben" Coats over his ties to a multimillion-dollar contract scandal. (Colorado Politics)

🥯 Call Your Mother, a popular D.C.-based bagel shop, is on track to open its first Denver location later this month at 3870 Tennyson St. The second location in Capitol Hill is still in the works, Alayna reports.

💰 Denver mayoral candidate Mike Johnston raised $418,000 in April, compared to $229,000 by rival Kelly Brough.

• But Brough entered May with $38,600 more cash on hand, John writes from new financial reports.

🇺🇸 President Biden will deliver the June 1 commencement address at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. (9News)

📈 What would the property tax legislation mean for your tax bill? Here's a calculator. (Colorado Sun)

🎓 Fewer high school graduates in Colorado went to college in 2021 compared to 2020, new state figures show. Enrollment rates were 50% in 2021, far below the national average of 62%. (Chalkbeat)

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The DIY movement is reaching new heights, and that's leading to a resurgence in homebrewing.

What to know: The Boulder-based American Homebrewers Association's annual "Big Brew Day" tomorrow comes at a time when making beer at home is easier than ever.

• Expensive equipment once available only to professional-minded brewers is now more accessible, and all-in-one systems are becoming more popular.
• Interest in the association's annual homebrewing conference this June is also returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The big picture: The interest in fermentation at home now goes well beyond beer, with increasing interest in kombucha, mead, cider, sake, cheeses, miso and hot sauce, according to Julia Herz, the association's executive director.

• "The whole hobby of fermentation and the homebrew movement is definitely growing, but it's ebbing and flowing in different ways based on the culture," she says.

How to participate: The official recipe for this weekend's brew day is a clone of Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. Details.