Each year, Environment Colorado sets out goals for the legislative session. In addition to helping us measure our progress, the legislative agenda lets decision-makers know which high-priority environmental items our members want us to tackle.
Building the New Energy Economy
Colorado has proven that clean energy works.Colorado’s homegrown wind and solar industry has been the bright spot in an otherwise faltering economy, and continued investment in clean energy technologies will put Colorado on the map. In 2010, the following legislation will clean up our electricity sector and make sure Colorado continues to attract clean energy investment.
Increase Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard: House Bill 1001 would increase Colorado’s current requirement for clean renewable energy to 30 percent by 2020 and put Colorado on the path toward building half a million solar rooftops with a 3 percent requirement for distributed renewable generation.
Community solar gardens: As part of our push to Go Solar!, Environment Colorado-backed legislation would allow homeowners to take part in multiple-user solar systems. Not everyone has the perfect rooftop for a solar panel, but Solar Gardens legislation helps homeowners collectively own a large solar array.
Clean energy financing programs: Senate Bill 100 and House Bill 1348 would reduce barriers for participation in building the new energy economy by supporting regional- and state-level clean energy financing programs. Building on the success of HB08-1350, these proposals will help Coloradans access low-interest loans for clean energy improvements and put the benefits of clean energy within reach for homeowners and small business owners.
Green jobs training program: Environment Colorado supports HB 1333 that would create a state-level grant program for qualified training programs to ensure that the clean energy industry continues to innovate. It would also ensure that Coloradans are trained and ready to jump into the green-collar workforce right here at home.
Energy-efficient Colorado
Now more than ever, it is important for Colorado to use energy efficiently. Environment Colorado supports aggressive efforts to help improve the efficiency of our homes, schools and businesses. We have the information today to make smart decisions for tomorrow. Energy efficiency is the cheapest, easiest and cleanest source of “new” energy.
Clean air & global warming solutions
Colorado has made a strong commitment to fight global warming by cutting our state’s pollution 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. Colorado’s electricity sector is responsible for about a third of Colorado’s global warming pollution. Environment Colorado supports legislative efforts to accelerate the retirement of the oldest, dirtiest coal plants in Colorado to improve air quality in the metro-Denver region and take the next steps toward hitting our global warming goals.
Stop toxic pollution
Environment Colorado advocates are working to ensure strong enforcement of environmental and public health protections: making polluters pay to clean up the toxic legacy of the past, switching from dangerous chemicals to safer alternatives, phasing out toxins that accumulate in wildlife and in our bodies, and protecting our right to know about toxic hazards.
Uranium pollution accountability: Taxpayers have spent more than $1 billion cleaning up radioactive pollution from uranium processing sites. The Environment Colorado-backed Uranium Processing Accountability Act (HB 1348) would require any uranium processing facility to clean up its own toxic mess before applying for new or expanded permits. The bill would also require that groundwater well owners are notified of groundwater pollution from uranium processing.
Securing funds for toxic cleanups: Superfund sites are the worst of the worst toxic waste sites. The federal government provides 90 percent of cleanup funding, while the state pitches in 10 percent. Unfortunately, budget woes could bankrupt Colorado’s Superfund reserves by 2012. The Solid Waste User Fees (Tipping Fees) bill (HB 1329) would ensure that the state’s Superfund programs remain funded.
Great Plains, Open Range
Colorado’s red landscapes are what make our state a beautiful and amazing place to live. From the Palisade peach farms on the West Slope to the farmland of the San Luis Valley to the rolling eastern plains, our rural landscapes are worth protecting. Unfortunately,urban sprawl and development gobbled up 2 million acres between 1972 and 2000. Environment Colorado supports legislative tools that protect rural agricultural lands and focus development in urban communities.
Conservation Easement Tax Credit: Conservation easements are a key tool for protecting rural landscapes in Colorado. There are more than 1,000 conservation easements protecting 1.5 million acres across Colorado.House Bill 1197 would help preserve one of the most important tools for conservation, the Conservation Easement Tax Credit, at a meaningful funding level in a tough economic times. The funding would help protect hundreds of thousands more acres of farms,ranches and open space.
Agricultural land in urban renewal: Too often, developers have abused the Urban Renewal Authority to gain tax breaks for the development of rural agricultural lands, helping to accelerate the development of open space and rural landscapes. Environment Colorado supports House Bill 1107, which would close loopholes for developers and ensure taxpayers stop subsidizing sprawling urban development of agricultural land and valued open space.
