The state’s Environmental Justice Action Task Force issues recommendations

Conservation Colorado’s staff, along with other environmental advocates, were part of the task force

DENVER — After a year of deliberations, the Environmental Justice Action Task Force, made up of state officials and environmental justice advocates including Conservation Colorado, issued its final recommendations, focused on protecting communities on the frontlines of pollution.

“I am proud to have played a role in convening external stakeholders to help guide and inform task force proceedings, and to have been able to bring impacted communities as well as policy advocates to the table for these discussions,” said task force appointee Beatriz Soto, Director of Protégete, an initiative of Conservation Colorado dedicated to building Latine environmental leadership and power. “These recommendations charge the state with establishing measurable goals for reducing environmental health disparities.”

The Environmental Justice Action Task Force was established after Governor Jared Polis signed the Environmental Justice Act into law in July 2021. Today, the final recommendations were submitted for the governor, state agencies, and the state legislature’s review.

“Protecting our clean air, water, lands, and communities is central to Conservation Colorado’s mission, and for decades, Colorado’s most polluted neighborhoods have been advocating for policies like those outlined in the task force’s recommendations,” said Jared Bynum, Conservation Clorado’s Communities and Justice Advocate. “The newly released recommendations represent a strong initial step in Colorado’s work toward rectifying past environmental injustices and empowering our communities to prevent them in the future.”

The recommendations will establish a process to create a more thorough analysis of how state actions can harm some of the state’s most polluted communities, add new tools to inform decision making and funding, and empower impacted communities.

“Representation matters! Historically underserved and exploited communities have faced a severe lack of proper representation, funding, and sharing of knowledge,” shared Lucy Molina, Commerce City resident and Adams 14 School Board member. “It is important to support organizations like Conservation Colorado that show up for our communities.”

Conservation Colorado and Protégete will continue to protect the air, land, water and all people across the state to ensure that our quality of life and environment are protected.

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