May, 2018 - Conservation Colorado

Blog, Communities, Elections, Oil & Gas, Promotores

Proof that oil and gas money has a stranglehold on Colorado’s state capitol

Written by Audrey Wheeler

Colorado oil and gas lobbyists and money keep Senate Republicans in their pocket.

In 2017, during Colorado’s legislative session, a deadly explosion killed two people in Firestone, CO. The explosion was due to an uncapped flow line from an oil well.

After such a tragedy, most Coloradans believed the oil and gas industry would work harder to keep people safe. But recently, several former Anadarko employees came forward during an investor lawsuit against the company, saying Anadarko can’t be trusted to maintain their equipment to protect health and safety, calling their operations in Colorado “a ticking time bomb.”

In 2018, on the one-year anniversary of the Firestone tragedy, state legislators had repeated opportunities to enact safeguards for people’s health and safety as the Colorado oil and gas industry moves closer and closer to our neighborhoods and schools. They didn’t take that opportunity. Instead, we saw one commonsense measure after another get shut down by the strength of the oil and gas industry’s lobbying.

Here are some of the stories that unfolded at the state Capitol:

Killed: a bill to keep oil and gas drilling away from kids

Currently, Colorado’s laws require oil and gas activity to be 1,000 feet away from school buildings. But there is no legal limit to how far this industrial activity should be from school playgrounds, outdoor lunch areas, modular classrooms, or athletic fields. HB 1352 would have required oil and gas activity to be 1,000 feet away from school property boundaries. This is in line with what all other industries have to do near schools, like liquor stores.

In support of this bill, dozens of students and parents came to the state Capitol and testified in committee, asking lawmakers to protect them and future students from the impacts of oil and gas, ranging from air pollution to dangerous explosions. In addition, 55 students, teachers, and parents signed on to an open letter to lawmakers to make their voices heard on this issue.

In an emotional moment, a young activist spoke out of turn when a legislator asked if an oil and gas explosion has ever happened near a school. “Why does it need to happen first?” she flatly responded.

Those powerful voices speaking up for this bill didn’t stop a Senate committee from killing it and continuing to put our kids at risk.

Killed: three oil and gas bills with small changes that would have made a big impact

One bill — HB 1071 — was an attempt to clarify the mission of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). It currently states that the COGCC is in charge of fostering and regulating oil and gas in Colorado. This bill would have changed this contradictory mission to prioritize health, safety, and the environment over industry profits.

Another, HB 1157, would have ensured the industry is tracking and reporting all spills, fires, explosions, injuries, and deaths due to oil and gas well operations and production facilities. This bill would have made incident reports mandatory and required more detail for major and minor accidents, improving transparency to the public.

Third, HB 1419 was a bill to require pipeline mapping and transparency so we all know where oil and gas operations are taking place — exactly the kind of information that would have prevented the Firestone tragedy. It would have also prevented leaks, groundwater contamination, and explosions by ensuring wells are strong and up to industry standard.

All three of these bills were killed by Senate Republicans who continue to pander to oil and gas companies.

Killed: a bill to expand local government authority

While local governments (like cities, counties, or towns) cannot permanently ban oil and gas development in Colorado, they can put in place temporary halts on the industry. SB 048 would have protected the authority of local governments to regulate oil and gas facilities, allowing governments to determine oil and gas regulations according to the needs of residents. As is the story with most of these bills, this bill was killed in a Senate committee.

But there’s good news, too. We managed to block the passage of SB 192, a bill that would have forced local governments to pay oil and gas companies for any loss in profits due to a temporary moratorium or ban. This would have added a financial penalty to any local government trying to do the right thing by their residents. We helped keep this bill from going anywhere!

Protecting homeowners from forced pooling

Forced pooling is when an oil and gas operator wants to acquire rights to extract oil and gas, but a mineral rights owner — like a homeowner — does not want drilling in their backyard. In Colorado, if there are 100 homes in a development and one of them agrees to lease the mineral rights for oil and gas development, all 99 of the other homes are “force pooled,” and the operator can develop there.

Currently, forced pooling laws and practices are unfair to the mineral rights owners and are advantageous to oil and gas operators. Highly technical notices are sent to property owners who are given only 30 days to respond. People with little or no experience with the oil and gas industry are forced to make a tough decision without enough time or clear information.

One bill (HB 1289) would have prevented local government and school district minerals from being force pooled. This bill was blocked.

Finally, one bill that provided some improvements for mineral owners’ property rights passed this year. This bill (SB 230) was a compromise that will provide some immediate relief to homeowners by extending the amount of time homeowners have between getting notified about forced pooling and their hearing, and providing more easily understandable information about the process of being force pooled. Even with the passage of this bill, property owners still face an uphill battle when it comes to negotiating with industry. Compared to the many other commonsense bills that were killed this year, this one is a small step.

While it can be easy to feel disappointed that these bills we all fought so hard for did not pass, even bringing up these issues at the Capitol is a step in the right direction. Thank you for standing with us to fight for these bills, especially if you sent a message, called your legislator, came to testify, or took action in another way to protect our communities.

The best way to change this story next year and into the future is to elect more pro-conservation champions into office. This November, many of our state senators and all of our state representatives will be up for re-election. Help us build the majority we need to pass more life-saving bills that put our communities over the industry!

May 22, 2018/by Angela Simental

Blog, Climate, Public Lands

The Fabulous Five: Lawmakers Who Championed Colorado’s Environment

At the end of the day, it’s all about leadership.

Now that the legislative session is over, we can celebrate what passed, lament what didn’t pass, and plan ahead for what we need to get done next year. Conservation Colorado lauds a few of the stand-out lawmakers who advocated for our state’s communities, public lands, water, and air this session. This year at our annual Rebel with a Cause gala we are excited to celebrate House Majority Leader KC Becker as our 2018 Legislator of the Year for her leadership addressing climate change head-on and for her advocacy in support of measures that protect our communities from the impacts of oil and gas development.

Here are five other exceptional lawmakers whose partnership makes our work possible.

Representative Faith Winter

It’s easy for conservationists to keep their faith in Representative Winter as an environmental champion. At the Capitol, she is an outspoken advocate for equity in transportation. Rep. Winter was one of the main engineers behind the revised Senate Bill 1 transportation funding measure and helped fight for dedicated funding for options that include more buses, more bike lanes, and more sidewalks. As the Chair of the Transportation and Energy committee, she sponsored legislation like the RTD Regional Transportation District Low-income Fare Program, which aimed to create a program to offer reduced fares to low-income RTD riders. This session, Rep. Winter demonstrated her ability to reach compromise on critical legislation and proved her willingness to take on the culture of sexual harassment at the Capitol, one of the toughest fights we’ve ever seen under the Golden Dome.

Representative Dylan Roberts

A mid-term appointment, Representative Dylan Roberts filled the seat of conservation champion Representative Diane Mitsch Bush when she decided to run for Congress. He got off to a great start with a focus on protecting our water, advancing rural economic development, and preserving our unique landscapes.

Rep. Roberts was a primary sponsor of one of our priority bills, aimed to hold mining companies accountable if their future operations have any negative impacts on Colorado’s water. Despite broad support from local communities, the measure ultimately died in a Senate committee.

Senator Leroy Garcia

Senate Minority Leader Leroy Garcia has emerged as a passionate public lands advocate. He was the prime sponsor on the reauthorization of the Colorado Lottery division, which provides vital funding for Great Outdoors Colorado, a program that supports outdoor recreation and land conservation in all 64 counties in the state. Additionally, in response to the Trump administration’s attempt to lease lands near the Great Sand Dunes National Park for oil and gas drilling, Sen. Garcia penned a passionate op-ed in the Pueblo Chieftain, condemning the federal push to auction off our public lands as “a direct threat to our communities, our economy, and our way of life.”

As the new Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Garcia has stepped up to the plate and batted on behalf of public lands protections.

Representative Dominique Jackson

Representative Dominique Jackson ardently fights for the safety of her constituents and Coloradans across the state. Rep. Jackson sponsored multiple bills that focused on protecting the constitutional rights of state citizens, establishing a program to offer reduced fares to low-income RTD riders, and adding more safety requirements for oil and gas wells and pipelines. As a member on three important committees in the House, Rep. Jackson seizes on her opportunities to vote on numerous bills that could impact Coloradans’ public safety, environmental health, and human rights.

Senator Kerry Donovan

There doesn’t seem to be a pressing West Slope issue that Senator Kerry Donovan won’t take on. From rural broadband deployment to gathering climate change data, Sen. Donovan advances legislation that addresses the intersections between dynamic policies, resource accessibility, and geographical challenges.

Sen. Donovan also sponsored a water conservation bill, the Reclaimed Water Use On Industrial Hemp bill, that alleviates some of the demand on our overstretched rivers by expanding the opportunities to use recycled water. Together, these pieces of legislation convey Sen. Donovan’s drive to fight for our communities and urban water conservation to reduce the pressure on the water supplies of Colorado’s agricultural industry on the West Slope.

Departing Champions

Speaker Crisanta Duran and Senator Lucía Guzmán

As Speaker of the House and Senate Minority Leader, Representative Crisanta Duran and Senator Lucia Guzman have fought for all Coloradans. They have advocated for urgent action to fight climate change, negotiated bipartisan compromises to ensure transportation options that make sense for all of us, and spoken up for those whose voices have been marginalized for far too long. This session, their leadership in standing by sexual harassment survivors was an exceptional example that such behavior will not and cannot be tolerated.

Senator Matt Jones and Representative Mike Foote

Throughout their tenures in the state legislature, Representative Mike Foote and Senator Matt Jones have partnered as stalwart champions for protecting Colorado communities from the harmful impacts of industrial oil and gas development. This session they worked together on three commonsense oil and gas bills, including the Protect Act, which would have enhanced the ability of local government to regulate oil and gas activities and hold operators accountable.

We’re proud to work with these lawmakers and so many other passionate legislators at the Capitol to fight for the protection of Colorado’s lands, air, and water. But too many good policies were blocked this year by anti-conservation legislators. That’s why we need everyone to join us in the fight for the future and help us elect pro-conservation leaders in the legislature.

May 14, 2018/by Angela Simental

Blog, Climate, Communities, Public Lands, Transportation, Water

As the dust clears on Colorado’s legislative session, here’s what happened on the environment.

Written by Audrey Wheeler

120 days. 100 legislators. Among a storm of #MeToo scandals, teacher protests, civil rights debates, and more, we made progress and fought some important fights for our environment.

In case you haven’t been keeping up, here are the biggest wins, bad things blocked, and losses for our air, land, water, and communities coming out of this year’s legislative session.

VICTORIES:

Investing in transportation for all Coloradans. After two years of fighting, we notched a huge victory in passing SB 001, a bipartisan bill that includes major investments in transportation options like senior and disability buses, sidewalks for pedestrians, highway shoulders for tractors, and resources to keep everyone safe. It is a step towards funding our state’s massive transportation needs in a fiscally responsible manner, and it supports a system that will benefit all Coloradans. With 2.5 million more people expected to live in Colorado in the next 25 years, these options are more important than ever to combat congestion and improve air quality. While we believe additional revenues are needed to address all our transportation needs, this bill provides critical initial investments to move us forward.

Renewing funding to protect our public lands. A massive funding stream for Colorado’s outdoors was reauthorized through Colorado’s lottery! This dedicates funding for parks, open spaces, and outdoor recreation in all 64 counties of Colorado. This bill (SB 066) will help boost local projects to protect our outdoors.

Advancing renewable energy through storage. Energy storage is an essential companion to renewables that will enable a clean energy future. Two bills tackled this need (SB 009 and HB 1270). SB 009 declares that power customers have a right to install, interconnect, and use energy storage systems, making sure that homeowners can store their renewable energy, while HB 1270 directed the Public Utilities Commission to consider storage in as utilities make plans for future energy sources.

Conserving Colorado’s water. We helped pass three bills to allow reused water for flushing toilets (HB 1069), growing hemp (SB 038), and farming edible crops (HB 1093)! “Reuse” water is when water is used for one purpose, say to wash dishes, and then treated to a safe standard to be used again, like to water a garden. When a water provider is able to use the same water multiple times, it means more demands can be met without increasing their overall water consumption. Reusing water helps conserve our limited water resources, and these bills will save thousands of gallons a year.

Protecting state parks and wildlife. Coloradans depend on Colorado Parks and Wildlife to deliver on its mission and ensure future generations have access to the recreational opportunities available today. SB 143 allows CPW to prevent budget shortfalls and meet its goals by increasing user fees and adjusting them to keep pace with inflation.

Supporting rural communities. Two bills were passed this year: first, the Rural Economic Advancement of Colorado Towns (REACT) Act aims to provide assistance to rural towns that have experienced significant economic shifts such as industry closure. This bill (SB 005) will help make sure our rural communities have support from the state of Colorado as they face transitions, often related to the shift to clean energy. Second, SB 002 adds funding for increasing broadband to rural areas across Colorado. Currently, many rural communities do not have access to broadband internet, or if they do, its poor and unreliable quality. Rural communities deserve high-speed, functional infrastructure so their opportunities to earn a good life are not limited.

These are just some of the 27 bills we helped pass this year with the support of our 36,000 members!

But not everyone was in line with conservation interests. We also worked to kill 11 bills this legislative session that would have been bad for our air, land, water, or people.

BLOCKED:

Stopping Colorado from fighting climate change. SB 226 sought to prohibit Colorado from being involved in the U.S. Climate Alliance, which Governor Hickenlooper signed onto last summer. This bill was a thinly veiled attempt to stall Colorado in its efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This bill passed the Senate but was soundly killed in the House, thanks in part to our members’ advocacy.

Repealing electric vehicle tax credits. Colorado’s innovative tax credits make our state the best in the country for buying electric vehicles. The credits have helped spur consumers to switch to EVs, giving us the 6th highest market share in the country for EVs. At the same time, EVs benefit our air quality and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. SB 047 would have ended these tax credits early, cutting off the benefits of EVs to our air and our economy, but we ensured the death of this shortsighted legislation.

And of course, we weren’t able to win in every fight this year. Some of the bills we worked hard to pass this legislative session met their ends in the state Senate, which is under anti-conservation leadership.

LOSSES:

Protecting Colorado’s water and rivers. A bill (HB 1301) to hold mining companies responsible for water cleanup would have updated our state’s hard rock mining laws to protect the rushing rivers and drinking water we rely on. Unfortunately, this bill was killed in the Senate by pro-industry voices.

Fighting climate change. One bill (HB 1297) would have allocated funds to prepare Colorado for climate change. Another (HB 1274) would have set a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 from 2005 levels. Despite passing the House, both bills were sent to kill committees in the Senate.

Expanding electric vehicle infrastructure. Our transportation sector is changing, and we need the infrastructure to keep up the pace. SB 216 would have done so by lifting a restriction on utility companies’ ability to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure to meet the growing need and demand across Colorado. Despite electric cars like the Nissan Leaf gaining in popularity around the state, Senators voted to let Colorado fall behind.

You may notice one big issue is missing from this list: oil and gas! In fact, oil and gas was such an important and divisive issue in this year’s legislative session that we’re writing about it separately just to relay what went down. Read it here!

In all, it was a successful legislative session, despite the anti-conservation leadership we’ve seen in the state Senate. We are proud to have worked to pass bills that will be good for the future of all Coloradans, and we’re ready to keep fighting for the big issues that didn’t get addressed in this year’s legislature.

We couldn’t do this work without the support of members like you. But there is more to be done as we gear up for the next election. Sign up now to volunteer to help elect a pro-conservation legislature!That way we’ll be able to see even more victories next year.

May 13, 2018/by Angela Simental

Press Release, Transportation

Conservation Colorado Lauds Passage of Bipartisan Transportation Compromise

Contact: Jessica Goad, 720-206-4235

The Colorado state Senate just moved to accept the state House amendments and repass SB 1, a bill funding Colorado transportation including significant investment in multimodal options.

Maria Handley, Interim Executive Director of Conservation Colorado, stated:

We’re pleased with this compromise, as it recognizes the need to significantly grow our investments in multimodal options like senior and disability buses, sidewalks for pedestrians, highway shoulders for tractors, and resources to keep everyone safe. It is a step towards funding our state’s massive transportation needs in a fiscally responsible manner and supports a system that will benefit all Coloradans.

With 2.5 million more people expected to live in Colorado over the next 25 years, multimodal options are more important than ever to combat congestion and improve air quality. We believe additional revenues are needed to address our full suite of transportation needs, but this bill provides critical initial investments to move us forward.

We thank Speaker Crisanta Duran, Representative Faith Winter, Senator Rachel Zenzinger, Senator Kevin Grantham, and other leaders who were relentless in ensuring that this bill provide equitable investments for both urban and rural Coloradans.

SB 1 funds multimodal options in the following ways:

$74.25 million to the multimodal transportation fund in this year’s one-time general fund transfer of $495 million
$22.5 million to the multimodal transportation fund in next year’s one-time general fund transfer of $150 million
15 percent of the net proceeds from TRANS bonds to the multimodal transportation options fund
Creates the multimodal transportation options fund for local governments and state transit projects
Creates greater flexibility for local governments by removing restrictions for how they spend their multimodal dollars

May 9, 2018/by Angela Simental

Blog, Communities, Public Lands

31 Ways To Protect Where You Play

Written by Emelie Frojen

In Colorado, our stunning mountains, open vistas, and rushing rivers inspire us and connect us to nature. Unfortunately, our public lands face countless attacks from powerful interests, like corporate polluters and the Trump administration, who are out of line with the values Coloradans hold dear.

As Coloradans, it’s our responsibility to show decision makers that we value and cherish our parks, wild places, and public lands. That’s why this month is Conservation Colorado’s Month of Action. Between now and May 31, we have a goal of generating 10,000 actions in support of Colorado’s outdoor spaces.

Here are 31 actions you can take this May to protect where you play!

1.Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day! Did you know May 19th is Colorado Public Lands Day? In May 2016, Colorado became the first state in the nation to establish a state holiday for our public lands. The third Saturday in May is now recognized as Colorado Public Lands Day, a day to celebrate how our public lands are central to our economy and our quality of life. So, make sure to mark your calendar and take a chance to get outside, enjoy our unparalleled wild places, and give back to the public lands that provide us with so much. Find an event or volunteer opportunity near you at http://copubliclandsday.com .

2. Support more diversity in the outdoors. For far too long, public lands have been inaccessible for many communities due to their race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other reasons. Our public lands are for everyone, and it is our job to make sure they are accessible for marginalized groups. Take time this month to learn about the history of diversity on our public lands by watching this video and supporting groups that are working to make the outdoors the inclusive place it should be.

3. Take a friend or family member out on public lands. One of the best ways to spread the public lands love is to share it! Take a friend, or five, and go for a hike, sit by a river, or take a picnic to your local park. There are many ways we can enjoy public outdoor spaces so make sure to share it.

4. Attend or host an event for Colorado Public Lands Day. There are numerous events to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day happening across Colorado. Find the one closest to you or host an event.

5. Share your story and listen to others. You don’t have to wait until May 19th to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day! There are several early events going on that you can attend for free, including a storytelling event in Denver, an event at New Belgium Brewery, and another one in Steamboat Springs.

6. Spread the word about Colorado Public Lands Day on social media. By doing so, you are showing your support of our public lands and encouraging others to act too!

7. Protect Colorado’s Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests. The Forest Service announced that it’s updating its plan to protect Colorado’s Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests. The land under review is a 3-million-acre forest that includes 10 Wilderness areas and five fourteeners. The Grand Mesa, just east of Grand Junction, is a large, flat-topped mountain with over 300 lakes. Lend your voice to help protect this beautiful place.

8–9. Support and Celebrate the Passing of Great Outdoors Colorado. This past legislative session, we worked hard to help pass a bill that reauthorizes the Colorado Lottery Division, which supports outdoor recreation and land conservation in all 64 counties in the state. Join us in celebrating the passing of the GOCO bill. Learn more about GOCO and the outdoor places it supports.

10–14. Support the Continental Divide Bill . For nearly a decade, conservationists, local leaders, mountain bikers, sportsmen, veterans, and others have come together to forge a proposal that balances protecting wilderness-quality lands with sustaining the recreation economy on which local communities depend. Learn more about the bill on our website. Tell Cory Gardner to support Continental Divide Bill. Thank Senator Bennet and Representative Polis for their hard work on the bill. Spread the word: Explore the area, share a photo, and tag it #COContinentalDivide.

Photo: Devon Balet

15. Visit the closest public lands to you! You don’t have to get into a car and drive for hours to get outside! Visiting local parks and open spaces is a great way to appreciate public land that is free and easy. Many Coloradans can reach these places by walking, biking, or taking public transportation. Challenge yourself to get to a local park without taking a car, and share your adventure with us on social media by tagging us @conservationcolorado and using the hashtag #protectwhereyouplay

16–17. Support our national monuments. Our national monuments contain cultural or historic significance and must remain untouched by destructive development, energy exploration, or construction. That’s why it’s so important that we all take action to prevent the Trump administration from carrying out their attempts to diminish the size and protections for all of these monuments. Our national monuments should remain protected for future generations to enjoy; they are a gift that belongs to all. Take action or donate to protect them.

Photo: Marc Toso

18. Attend our Rebel with a Cause Gala. Now in its 17th year, Rebel with a Cause is the largest environmental event in the state. The gala brings together over 750 people for a night of celebration and fun. Join Colorado’s most prominent decision-makers, philanthropists, businesses, and environmentalists for a night you don’t want to miss. Our 2018 Rebels are the native-led organizations who are fighting to protect Bears Ears National Monument, Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and Utah Diné Bikéyah. Buy a ticket, become a sponsor, or donate to the silent auction.

19–20. Stand up against lease sales. One of the greatest threats to our public lands are oil and gas lease sales. Rather than large sell offs, the Bureau of Land Management has the power to lease land to oil and gas companies for 10 years. Flying under the radar, this process subjects the land to construction and drilling without much public action or opinion! Read up on Colorado lease sales and stay up to date. Our efforts to protect Colorado lands from oil and gas lease sales will continue for years to come. That’s why we need ongoing support to fund this important work. Donate today to protect where you play.

21. Pick up trash on a local trail. Help out public land managers by bringing an extra trash bag on your next hike and picking up trash along the way.

22. Share a photo of your favorite public lands spot on social media. Tell us why and be sure to tag us @conservationcolorado and use the hashtag #protectwhereyouplay

23. Volunteer to do trail work! Donate your time to the places you love.

24. Register to vote. The best way you can stand up for our public lands is with your vote. We have an important election this fall and need your help making sure the environment is a priority. Make sure you are registered or that your registration is up-to-date.

25–26. Get engaged locally. Do you know who your local representative is or how they stand on environmental issues? Visit our website to find out who they are and where they stand. Now, take a moment to tell your local representative how much public lands mean to you.

27. Leave no trace. When you’re outside, make sure you’re following “leave no trace” guidelines and are making an active effort to keep our lands pristine.

28. Stay up-to-date on Colorado public lands issues by signing up for our email list. This will help you stay in the know on all of the issues affecting Colorado’s land, air, water, and communities.

29. Watch and share our video! This episode of Conservation Chats focuses on how you can take action in support of public lands.

30. Work at a business that cares about the environment? Encourage your employer to take action! The Colorado Outdoor Business Alliance (COBA) is a coalition of Colorado’s leading outdoor recreation businesses and businesses who love the outdoors that recognize the fundamental role public lands play in sustaining Colorado’s emerging economy. Join our COBA program and ask your employer about a donation match program.

31. Donate to the places you love. We are working hard to protect the places that make Colorado special! By donating to us, you are helping us fight for our land, air, water, and communities. The best thing could do this May is protect where you play.

May 1, 2018/by Angela Simental