We passed legislation to help our environment by putting more controls on oil and gas development, creating a new Climate Action Plan, working towards renewable energy, and took other much needed first steps forward.
Climate Change
- Climate Action Plan To Reduce Pollution: HB19-1261
- Sets statewide goals to reduce carbon emissions. The 2025 goal for reduction is at least 26%, the 2030 goal is reduction by at least 50% and the 2050 goal is reduction by 90% of greenhouse gas emissions that existed in 2005.
- Collect Long-term Climate Change Data: SB19-096
- Colorado’s way of life is threatened by climate change and we need a data-driven approach to protect it. This bill directs the Air Quality Control Commission to collect data from greenhouse gas-emitting entities into a report, forecast future emissions, and propose solutions to help address the issue.
Oil and Gas
- Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations: SB19-181
- This Bill prioritizes protecting public safety, health, welfare, and the environment by giving more authority for local governments to oversee oil and gas drilling. The bill states that the public interest is to regulate oil and gas drilling to protect these values.
Renewable Energy
- Community Solar Garden Expansion: HB19-1003
- Expands access to low-cost renewable energy by removing restrictions and caps on Colorado’s community solar garden industry.
Conservation
- Funding for Wildfire Mitigation: HB19-1006
- Provides grants to help fund wildfire prevention efforts in identified vulnerable areas to help keep Colorado’s communities safe from these destructive natural disasters.
- Protecting Colorado’s Firefighters and Water Sources: HB19-1279
- Prohibits the usage of certain harmful and poisonous chemicals in firefighting foam in Colorado to ensure our firefighters are kept safe from harmful chemicals our water sources are protected from these dangerous chemicals.
- Protect Water Quality Adverse Mining Impacts: HB19-1113
- This bill makes mining operators more accountable for preventing water contamination by requiring them to have a plan in place for new or amended mining permits that will ensure compliance with water quality standards and protect more than 1,600 miles of Colorado rivers and streams.
- Clean Indoor Air Act: HB19-1076
- Updates the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act to include electronic smoking devices and repeal certain exceptions, helping our clean air laws cover new technologies and crack down on harmful vaping.