By Ishan Thakore, CPR News
About 50 people rallied at the Colorado State Capitol on Thursday to protest what they say is Colorado’s halting progress in cutting fossil fuels and curbing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Environmental groups including 350 Colorado, Black Parents United Foundation, and Clean Energy Action hosted the annual “State of the Climate” address to urge state officials to take bolder action to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
“And every time we come to state legislation, they never pass anything strong enough, they never pass anything that’s protective enough,” said Renée Millard-Chacon, a Commerce City councilwoman.
Participants, including someone dressed as a towering, shaggy polar bear, gathered on the chilly, windswept east Capitol steps. They held signs calling for an end to fracking and for more protections to Colorado’s environment.
The gathering immediately followed Gov. Jared Polis’ annual State of the State address, which has been disrupted in past years by climate protestors.
During this year’s address, the governor laid out several climate priorities, including speeding up permitting for clean energy projects, funding home energy efficiency improvements and tackling skyrocketing homeowners insurance rates, which are driven by hail and wildfire risk.
But for some at the rally, the governor’s words did not go far enough.
“As this session inside kicks off, we call on Gov. Polis and our legislators for bolder action to speed up the transition off fossil fuels to clean energy, to protect this and future generations,” said Micah Parkin, executive director of 350 Colorado and a member of Safe and Healthy Colorado.
The rally comes as Colorado lawmakers deal with a nearly $700 million budget shortfall, which could limit spending on environmental initiatives. In a deal brokered last year, legislators also agreed to hold off on significant oil and gas regulations until at least 2028, in exchange for a drilling fee that funds public transportation.
In a statement, the climate groups claimed that Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry, failed to protect Coloradans’ health and environment by permitting new oil and gas operations throughout the state.
“We need to stop the expansion of fracking by phasing out permitting for new oil and gas. We don’t have another decade to wait,” Parkin said.
ECMC did not provide a comment.
Under state law, Colorado is required to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent this year and by 50 percent in 2030, compared to 2005 levels. The state estimates it will narrowly miss both targets.
In recent years, Colorado regulators have tightened standards for oil and gas operations, and lawmakers have required large utility companies to upgrade their networks to meet the state’s clean energy goals. The state is also revising rules to prevent methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from leaking out of landfills.
The oil and gas industry generates the most greenhouse gas emissions of any industry in Colorado, according to state data. In recent years, the northern Front Range has also experienced dozens of ozone “alert days,” when harmful air pollution – caused by emissions from oil and gas operations, cars, weather and other factors – spikes above national standards.
As attendees shuffled their feet or danced to stay warm, speakers urged them to take the long view in fighting climate change.
“I know about pain, about anger, about frustration,” said Leslie Glustrom with Clean Energy Action.
“I know about showing up again and again. So I just want to put it all in perspective, though, because this is a really long battle.”
