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As Colorado Governor Jared Polis signs and vetoes climate and energy-related bills from the 2022 legislative session, one thing becomes obvious about the state's climate future: It's complicated.
This week, Polis signed legislation providing $15 million to fund a just transition for communities as coal-fired power plants shut down, as well as a law that requires oil companies to disclose the chemicals they use in fracking operations. But the fracking bill allows manufacturers to make trade-secret claims, and state regulators may exempt them from public disclosure.
At the same time, Polis vetoed a bill that would have required new large buildings and apartments to install electric vehicle charging stations and conduits, claiming the law wouldn't give developers enough flexibility to adjust to new charging technology, and could further raise housing prices.
The bill's lead sponsor, Rep. Alex Valdez of Denver, told CPR News the governor's objection on flexibility didn't add up.
“This bill called for conduits and wire, and those things will never change,” Valdez said. “Unless electricity changes, we still have to deliver electricity to the place where the electric vehicles sit. So that part is a little odd.”
The Colorado Sun also highlighted Colorado's backlog of air quality permits. This week, a Terra Energy facility that handles wastewater from oil and gas wells finally got a hearing on its emissions permit—13 years behind schedule. 60 other facilities are past the deadline for new or renewed air quality permits.
Governor Polis took one other action on the outdoors this week: He renamed a trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park the Rocky Mountain High Trail, paying homage to the 50th anniversary of John Denver's iconic song, which Denver always insisted was about the high of nature.
How to fill in the gaps in America the Beautiful
In the latest episode of CWP's podcast, The Landscape, Kate and Aaron sit down with biologist Ed Grumbine, who penned a thoughtful piece in Sierra Magazine on how the Biden administration can add clarity and direction to the president's America the Beautiful initiative, helping the country reach the 30x30 conservation goal.
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The unequal impacts of climate change and environmental burdens mean years taken off the lives of some and not others. We see these trends again and again, with communities of color, Indigenous, rural and low-income communities suffering the most. What's painfully clear is that there's an intersection between poverty, pollution and political power in this country that we must address if we are ever to ensure everyone's right to a healthy environment.”
