House Bill 1291: State Implementation for Regional Haze
(House Vote #1, Senate Vote #1)

HB 1291, sponsored by House Speaker Frank McNulty and Senate Majority Leader John Morse, approved Colorado’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP). HB 1291 marks the final step in implementing last year’s groundbreaking air quality legislation, HB10-1365. The SIP includes critical strategies resulting from last year’s Clean Air, Clean Jobs effort – specifically the retirement of five metro-area coal-fired power units operated by Xcel Energy by 2017. The approved SIP will reduce harmful emissions by more than 70,000 tons per year by 2018, a dramatic improvement from the plan Colorado submitted a few short years ago. The reductions included in the SIP resulting from the Clean Air, Clean Jobs Act account for more than half of these reductions, and will generate more than $200 million per year in public health benefits over current emissions levels. The bill passed the House 58 to 7 and the Senate 25 to 10. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1223: Changing the Make-up of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
(House Vote #2)

HB 1223, sponsored by Representative Ray Scott and Senator Steve King, proposed to change the composition of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The bill would have eliminated the voting role of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health and the Environment. It also would have added two more oil and gas industry-associated members, thus giving industry control of five of the Commission’s nine votes. These changes would have favored industry and jeopardized the environment, wildlife and public health. HB 1223 passed the House 34-31 before failing 0-3 in the Senate State, Veteran and Military Affairs Committee. NO was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1223: Changing the Make-up of the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission – No Conflict of Interest Amendment
(House Vote #3)

Representatives Dickey Lee Hullinghorst and Mark Ferrandino offered an amendment to HB 1223 to prevent conflicts of interest among those who serve on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). HB 1223 would have changed the composition of the COGCC by eliminating a voting role for the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health and the Environment and would have upset the balance that has been critical in passing wildlife and public health protections. The Hullinghorst-Ferrandino amendment would have required all members of the Commission to conduct themselves in a way that prevents the appearance of impropriety or of conflict of interest. Under the amendment, members would be required to abstain from any financial, business and social dealings as well as owning stock, securities or other financial interests related to companies regulated by the Commission. Currently royalty owners, company stock holders, or individuals who are financially tied to the industry are able to make decisions about oil and gas development. The Hullinghorst-Ferrandino amendment failed 31-34 in the House. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1312: Energy Office Reorganization
(House Vote #4)

HB 1312, sponsored by Representative Jon Becker and Senator Mary Hodge, proposed to broaden the scope of the Clean Energy Fund that the legislature created in 2007 to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency with language that included any locally-sourced energy such as coal, nuclear, and oil and gas – mature industries that are already well subsidized at the state and federal level. Additionally, it would have altered the mission of the Governor’s Energy Office and backed away from the focus on promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. For years the legislature and the people of Colorado have worked to ensure the state is a national leader in clean energy by focusing aggressively on promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency; HB 1312 sent the wrong signal that Colorado was going backwards. The bill passed the House 35-30 and was defeated in the Senate Local Government Committee in a 2-3 vote. NO was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1312: Energy Office Reorganization – Protecting the Clean Energy Fund Amendment
(House Vote #5)

Representative Claire Levy introduced an important amendment to HB 1312. As introduced, a provision of HB 1312 included promoting “locally-sourced” energy by re-crafting the Clean Energy Fund into an innovative energy fund. Rep. Levy introduced an amendment to eliminate the ability for limited state dollars to be directed towards  incentivizing development and research for nuclear power, an already well-subsidized industry that carries incredible risk to our public health and environment. The amendment excluded nuclear power from the innovative energy fund and failed on a 28 to 37 vote. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1199: Fair Solar Permitting
(House Vote #6, Senate Vote #2)

HB 1199, sponsored by Representative Bob Gardner and Senator Bob Bacon, modernizes and extends the fair permitting legislation for solar systems passed in 2008. Current law restricts counties and municipalities from charging unreasonable fees for permitting residential and nonresidential solar energy systems; this legislation extends the sunset of the restrictions and applies fee limitations to state government as well. Keeping permitting fees fair is a crucial step in sustaining a healthy solar energy industry that can continue to generate good jobs across the state. The bill passed the House 64 to 1 and the Senate 33 to 2. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1222: Public Utility Commission Authority
(House Vote #7)

By the time HB 1222, sponsored by Representative Kathleen Conti and Senator Lois Tochtrop, reached the House floor for debate it had become a clear referendum on the clean energy efforts undertaken by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, the renewable energy and energy efficiency focus of the Governor’s Energy Office, and the integrity of both entities. HB 1222, as amended out of House Transportation Committee, called for an unnecessary and narrowly-defined study to be submitted to the General Assembly on energy rate cases. Numerous amendments were offered to expand the scope of the study to at least deliver information that would provide a complete picture to lawmakers, but those changes were rejected. Additionally, the legislative declaration included anti-conservation language stating that the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency “frequently conflicts with the interests of the public as consumers and ratepayers,” ignoring the rate-stabilizing and long-term consumer benefits to diversifying the energy portfolio. The bill died on the House floor 27 to 37. NO was the pro-environment vote.

Senate Bill 269: Electronics Recycling Act
(Senate Vote #3)

SB 269, introduced by Senator Gail Schwartz and Representatives Andy Kerr and Joe Miklosi, would have required all recyclers of specified electronic products to be certified by the state and to comply with processing standards. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment would provide the public via its website with a list of certified electronic waste recyclers. HB 269 addressed a serious problem in Colorado where approximately 84% of electronic waste ends up in landfills or shipped overseas. Such devices contain large amounts of toxic metals and other toxins that threaten Colorado’s air, water and land. SB 269 sought to assure citizens that their electronic waste is recycled in a safe and responsible manner. It passed the Senate 19-15 but failed in the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee 4-8. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1275: Idling Standard for Commercial Trucks
(House Vote #8, Senate Vote #4)

HB 1275, sponsored by Representative Kevin Priola and Senators Nancy Spence and Suzanne Williams, creates an idling standard for large commercial diesel trucks. The standard limits idling to five minutes per hour, with exceptions for conditions involving traffic, safety, operations, low temperature, and resting. Along with helping to clean up the state’s air, the standard will work at the local level to protect the health of vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Following initial passage in the House, HB 1275 was amended in the Senate to strengthen health and environmental protections. The amended bill passed the Senate 24-11. The House voted to concur with the Senate amendments 56-8. YES was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1220: Funding for State Highway Projects
(House Vote #9)

HB 1220, sponsored by Representative Don Beezley and Senator Suzanne Williams, would have created a tax increment financing tool to use taxpayer-funded subsidies to build state highway projects and retail development on “underdeveloped” lands, including farmlands. The bill would have pitted communities against each other in competition for sales tax revenue, would have favored transportation projects in the five metropolitan areas of Colorado above rural transportation projects and fueled sprawl development. HB 1220 passed the House 33-30 before failing 2-3 in the Senate State, Veteran and Military Affairs Committee. NO was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1116: Local Government Waste Services
(House Vote #10)

HB 1116, introduced by Representative Libby Szabo and Senator Greg Brophy, would have required municipalities to gain voter approval for any change in waste services. By requiring municipalities to gain voter approval the bill would have required expensive elections and created a disincentive for municipalities to change their waste services in ways that would encourage recycling, improve efficiency or add consumer protections. HB 1116 passed the House 33-32 and died in the Senate Local Government Committee 1-3. NO was the pro-environment vote.

House Bill 1082: Weld and Larimer Counties Clean Air Exemptions
(House Vote #11)

HB 1082, introduced by Representative Glenn Vaad and Senator Scott Renfroe, would have exempted both Weld and Larimer counties from participating in the vehicle emissions testing clean air program. The Front Range is frequently out of compliance for ozone levels. Ozone is a regional problem that does not recognize geographic or political boundaries. High ozone concentrations are often experienced in areas that are some distance from the source of the emissions and the highest source of ozone pollution is from vehicles. If this bill would have passed, Colorado would have seen an increase in ozone pollution which can cause severe health problems including asthma and heart disease. HB 1082 passed the House 34-31 and died in the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee 3-4. NO was the pro-environment vote.

Senate Bill 267: Forest Biomass Use Work Group
(House Vote #12, Senate Vote #5)

SB 267, sponsored by Senator Gail Schwartz and Representatives Don Coram and Millie Hamner, creates
a Forest Biomass Use Work Group that will recommend ways to market and harvest wood for biomass energy development in a sustainable manner. Emphasis will be placed on facilitating active forest management to protect critical forested areas of the state in a responsible way that ensures wilderness and habitat protection. The Work Group will be convened by the Colorado State Forester and include representatives from several state agencies, the Forest Health Advisory Council, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Public Utilities Commission is directed to provide support to the Work Group. A final report is due to the legislature by January 1, 2012. SB 267 passed the Senate 26-8 and the House 59-6. YES was the pro-environment vote.