May 9th marked the end of the 2012 General Session of the Colorado Legislature. We said in January that this session was about creating jobs — and the conservation community delivered by creating an estimated 2,500 jobs and keeping thousands of tons of hazardous electronic waste out of our landfills with the passing of the bipartisan Electronic Recycling Jobs Act. We helped Colorado continue to develop innovative jobs by securing funding for renewable energy and passing legislation to increase electric vehicle stations.
Colorado Conservation Voters (CCV) is excited to announce our first endorsement of the 2012 election season – Crestina Martinez for Senate District 35. Martinez is a Costilla County Commissioner who has already shown her pro-conservation stripes by supporting open space projects and encouraging oil & gas development to be responsible. Martinez will be a strong pro-conservation voice for rural Colorado and we are proud to support her candidacy. We will be announcing more endorsements in the coming weeks.
Colorado’s legislative session has begun and once again environmental policy will be a major focus at the capitol The conservation community’s 2012 legislative agenda will be focused on creating jobs as we protect Colorado’s spectacular environment. As we work to pass our proactive priorities, we will continue to guard against anti-conservation, job-killing bills.
Denver likes to think of itself as a leader among cities. While that is true in many regards, it is not the case with trash. In fact, Denver’s reputation when it comes to solid waste is, well, trashy. The good news is that there is fresh momentum to turn Denver around and for it to become a leader in cutting trash waste and increasing recycling and composting.
Whirlwind. That’s the first word that comes to mind as I think about the last 36 hours. Yesterday, I was in Washington for a lobby day with my counterparts from state conservation leagues around the country. While there, I also attended LCV’s annual dinner gala event where EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson delivered the keynote address.
Like football, the legislative process can be a game of inches. As the 2011 Colorado legislative session closes, I’m happy to write that Colorado Conservation Voters – with the help of our members, pro-conservation legislative champions, and partners in the conservation community – has moved the ball forward again.
The 2011 Legislative session opened with a pro-conservation majority in the state Senate and a less environmentally friendly majority in the state House. With a strong push on both sides to create jobs and restart the economy, our work has focused on championing bi-partisan, common sense solutions that will create jobs while protecting our environment.
The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) on Friday announced they would drop the lawsuit they filed against drilling rules instituted by the Ritter Administration. Along with Governor Hickenlooper, the environmental community commends COGA for doing the right thing and setting the stage for future collaboration.
In an early victory this legislative session, we are glad to see that Rep. Jon Becker decided today to pull his anti-FASTER bill (HB1075). The bill faced strong opposition from a broad spectrum of Coloradans including the very county governments who were the purported benefactors of the bill.
Bipartisanship is dead. At least that is what the chattering class would have you believe. Look a little deeper however, and you’ll see that there is a different story to tell in the Rocky Mountains.
Colorado is Energy Country. We mine coal, extract natural gas, build wind turbines and have put tens of thousands of people to work installing solar panels on homes and businesses across the state. From the West Slope to the Eastern Plains, energy is a part of our DNA and affects our everyday lives.
Although not all the counting, and recounting, is done yet, I wanted to give you a report on our work this election cycle and the results of how our pro-conservation candidates did on Tuesday.
Earlier today, we released Governor Ritter’s 2007-2010 Conservation Report Card. The Report Card is a quick and readable synopsis of the Governor’s work on conservation issues these last four years. Click here to check it out.
I just finished a press conference to announce the very encouraging findings of a recent public poll to gauge support for Xcel’s plan to convert coal fired power plants into cleaner burning natural gas and renewable energy facilities. Below is the press release summarizing the results. Spoiler alert – people want clean air.
The 2010 Colorado Legislature’s General Session is wrapping up today.The exciting news is that thanks to our pro-conservation majority in both chambers, we can declare that Colorado is the Best In The West when it comes to forward thinking environmental policy.
It is a great day in the state of Colorado. I am pleased to report that the signing of the Colorado Clean Air/Clean Jobs Act (HB 10-1365) into law is taking a core conservation value, clean air, and turning it into a priority for our state. This legislation is a badly needed breath of fresh [...]
With a bi-partisan, pro-environment majority in both houses of the Colorado legislature and a pro-environment Governor, Colorado has been a leader on environmental issues for the past four years. In Governor Ritter’s last year in office, the bar has been raised even higher…
More wind and solar power will soon be on its way to Colorado. Late this morning, the state senate passed HB 1001, the bill that will increase Colorado’s renewable energy standard from 20% to 30%. The bill is now on its way to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
The Gubernatorial race is heating up and we’re seeing a disturbing trend – leading candidates from both parties taking weak stances on environmental issues.
Momentum is building for HB 1001. On Friday, the bill passed out of the House Energy and Transportation committee on a 6-5 vote. This morning, the Denver Post editorialized in favor of the effort. The bill will see more action in the state House this week with a floor vote likely by the end of the week.
That’s what we saw in the committee testimony yesterday on HB 1001, the bill to increase Colorado’s renewable energy standard to 30% by the year 2020. According to the coal people, we should let the marketplace and individual consumers dictate how we produce energy in Colorado. That may sound reasonable until we take a closer look at that assertion.
Colorado’s journey to an increased renewable energy standard (RES) is taking another step forward this week with the public introduction of HB1001. If passed, this bill will bring us to a 30% RES and make us an RES leader in the nation. And that’s exactly where we should be – leading the nation to a cleaner, brighter future with a vibrant New Energy Economy.
HB 1001. That is the first bill introduced in the Colorado House of Representatives every legislative session and typically a bill that is given special, symbolic weight. The very exciting news is that HB 1001 this year is a top priority for Colorado Conservation Voters and our allies in the conservation community.
