Real Results For Colorado's Environment

1. Finding local solutions to global warming
Colorado is leading the way in the fight to stop global warming. We helped convince Gov. Bill Ritter to commit to big reductions in our state’s global warming pollution: 80% below 2005 levels by 2050.

2. Promoting clean energy for Colorado
Our staff and members helped convince state leaders to double our clean energy goal to 20% by 2020. In 2008, we passed legislation to incentivize and bring down the costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements for homes and businesses.

3. Slashing Colorado’s mercury pollution
Colorado’s power plants will slash their mercury emissions by 90% over the next decade, a move that will help keep more pregnant women and young children safe from mercury’s neurological effects. Our advocacy helped forge the agreement.

4. Closing dirty coal plants
With a push from Environment Colorado, state regulators approved a request by Xcel Energy to close two coal plants and replace them with less polluting sources.

5. Protecting Colorado’s national forests
More than 4 million acres of Colorado’s pristine national forests are still free of logging and new roads. When the Bush administration attempted to open these lands to industry, we raised our voices in protest. The fight continues: We’re demanding permanent protection.

6. Defending the Grand Canyon
Mining, with its toxic runoff and disruption of the landscape, has no place in or near the Grand Canyon. We’re working to undo the Bush administration’s open invitation to mining companies that want to operate as close as five miles away from the canyon rim.

7. Protecting our land and water
Environment Colorado helped pass the Land & Water Stewardship Act, which set strong standards to protect groundwater and required mining companies to create environmental plans to minimize the impact of uranium mining on our wild lands.

8. Reducing the impact of oil and gas drilling
We convinced the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to adopt strong regulations to protect our water, wildlife and land from the threats of drilling, including prohibiting drill rigs within 300 feet of drinking water sources.

9. Improving Metro Denver transit
Environmentally friendly transit options, such as light rail, are expanding for Denver area commuters, following the 2004 approval of the Environment Colorado-supported FasTracks initiative.

10. Cutting smog pollution
We helped pass the Colorado Clean Air Act and won new rules requiring cleaner gasoline and new limits on smog pollution from oil and gas wells.