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Conservation Colorado and Rocky Mountain Values Launch New Climate-focused Television Commercial

Joint ad pushes Sen. Gardner to stand up for Colorado’s clean air and climate, not corporate polluters

DENVER — This week, Conservation Colorado—the state’s largest environmental advocacy organization—and the grassroots organization Rocky Mountain Values launched a new television commercial that pushes Sen. Cory Gardner to support policy and funding to protect our environment and clean air. The ad comes two weeks after Senator Gardner’s recent vote that will repeal important federal progress on clean air policy and reflects the growing frustration that Colorado families have with politicians like Senator Cory Gardner, who acts in favor of special interests.

The effort is a part of Conservation Colorado’s new seven-figure accountability effort urging Senator Gardner to stand up for Coloradans who want clean air and a healthy climate, not for big corporate polluters. In addition to the new television commercial, the campaign also includes on-the-ground organizing in Aurora, Fort Collins, Greeley and Pueblo and other paid communications to educate Coloradans about Gardner’s record to get him to vote in favor of environmental protection.

“Senator Cory Gardner told us he’d protect Colorado’s clean air but went to Washington and helped dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to combat air pollution,” said Kelly Nordini, Executive Director of Conservation Colorado. “Colorado is at the forefront of climate impacts, and our state is a national leader in addressing the climate crisis. Unfortunately, Senator Gardner’s record shows he has been more willing to do what special interests and lobbyists in Washington want than to listen to his constituents back home. Senator Gardner must step up to change that.”

“Coloradans, like all Americans, value clean air,” said Alvina Vasquez, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Values. “Less than two weeks ago Senator Gardner took a vote to block the Clean Power Plan, which would have stopped corporate polluters from dirtying our air—proving once again that he will continue taking votes that hurt Colorado. We hoped that Senator Gardner would stand by his promise to protect our environment, but instead, he continues his pattern of broken promises and bad votes. We need Senator Gardner, and all of our elected officials, to prioritize Coloradans’ clean air now. ”

In Washington, Sen. Gardner helped dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to combat air pollution, allowing power plants to burn coal waste without complying with clean air rules. And while Coloradans’ health suffered as a result, Sen. Gardner raked in the cash—including more than $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry. That investment continues to pay dividends for big corporate polluters. And just this month, Sen. Gardner voted to allow Trump’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan to move forward, paving the way for coal plants to stay open longer and blocking progress for wind and solar power—energy sources that Coloradans overwhelmingly support.

“Frontline communities can’t write big checks like big polluters, but we can organize,” said Juan Gallegos, director of Protégete. “Latinx Coloradans deserve a seat at the table and for Senator Gardner to listen to us, vote with us, and put Colorado on a path to a clean energy future.”

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Conservation Colorado announces new Roaring Fork Valley office

CARBONDALE, COLORADO – Today, Conservation Colorado, the state’s largest statewide environmental advocacy organization, announced the opening of a new Roaring Fork Valley office based in Carbondale to serve this ecologically unique and politically important region.

Central Mountains Organizer Erin Riccio released the following statement in response:

“As Conservation Colorado’s organizer in the region, I’m excited to bring the voices of my neighbors along the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys to the State Capitol and other decision-making spaces. Together we can fight climate change, protect our lands, waterways, and wildlife, and stand up against powerful interests.

“Calling this area ‘home’ is a dream come true.”

The Roaring Fork Valley is already a conservation leader, including:

  • The only municipalities in our state — Glenwood Springs and Aspen — to be powered 100 percent by renewable energy;
  • Cancellation of 18 oil and gas leases along the Thompson Divide, an important landscape renowned for its hunting and recreation opportunities;
  • Creation of the Crystal River Management Plan to better manage water usage and enhance the ecological integrity of the river; and,
  • A goal to electrify one-third of the Roaring Fork Valley Transportation Authority’s bus fleet.

“I’m thrilled that Conservation Colorado has established a permanent presence in the Roaring Fork Valley,” said Jacque Whitsitt, the Mayor of Basalt. “Their focus on state and national policy will be a great asset to the robust conservation community that already calls this area home.”

Riccio, a fluent Spanish-speaker, will work with local citizens and leaders to capitalize on this progress, including:

  • Conserving our public lands that support a high quality of life and booming outdoor economy by passing the CORE Act;
  • Protecting our unique communities from the health and safety hazards of oil and gas activities through continued engagement with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission;
  • Addressing climate change by implementing the Climate Action Plan to reduce statewide carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050; and,
  • Ensuring our rivers are healthy and flowing with full funding of the Colorado Water Plan.
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Why We’re Organizing in Colorado’s Central Mountains Region

The Central Mountains Region is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. And the issues it faces are as diverse as the landscapes it spans.

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Flying Under the Radar: Why We Need to Protect Public Lands

Incredible wildlands are in jeopardy of being developed for oil, gas, and mineral extraction by the BLM – the very federal agency who manages them.

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Civic Engagement Doesn’t End at the Ballot Box

With a need to act on climate, it’s more important than ever that all of us practice civic engagement — at the local, state, and federal levels.

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Keep the Public in Public Lands Managment

If you love our public lands like I do, I hope you will tell the Trump Administration they don’t own these lands, we have entrusted them with the management of OUR lands.

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Conservation groups herald Gov. Polis’ executive order to protect wildlife; habitats

DENVER — Governor Jared Polis today announced an executive order to protect iconic Colorado wildlife and the landscapes they call home, aimed at conserving western landscapes and big game species for future generations. Gov. Polis’ order means Colorado will prioritize, coordinate and focus on protecting the traditional migration corridors of Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, mountain goats, bighorn sheep and moose.

Specifically, the executive order directs:

  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to compile a status report of wildlife migration and associated science by the end of the calendar year;
  • Colorado Department of Natural Resources to identify policy, regulatory or legislative opportunities to ensure the ongoing conservation of seasonal habitat and migration corridors;
  • CPW to incorporate the importance of migration corridors into public education and outreach efforts; and,
  • Colorado Department of Transportation to enable safe wildlife passage and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.

The order will remain in effect until May 1, 2023 unless modified or rescinded prior to that date.

Conservation groups released the following statements in response:

“The health of our wild spaces and wildlife are a measure of the health of our state. Governor Polis campaigned on a pledge to ‘keep Colorado wild.’ Today’s executive order is a first step in delivering on that promise to ensure that Colorado remains wild for future generations.”

– Kelly Nordini, executive director, Conservation Colorado

“Colorado’s wildlife are a key part of our state’s heritage and our outdoor way of life. This executive order will help Colorado balance our state’s rapid growth with the increasing need to safeguard our wildlife by helping to keep their habitats and corridors protected and connected. We applaud Governor Polis for taking action and look forward to continued partnership to enact this measure.”

– Rachael Hamby, Western lands policy analyst, Western Resource Advocates

“These wild places are vital for birds to thrive, taking cover in the winter and stopping over as they migrate. The protections that Governor Polis has set in motion through this Order will benefit many species and set important standards throughout the state.”

– Nada Culver, Vice President for Public Lands, National Audubon Society

«The Colorado Sierra Club applauds the Governor for taking bold action to protect wildlife and our Colorado heritage. Thanks to Governor Polis, Colorado is taking key steps to better understand and protect the historical migration pathways of the animals.»

– Jim Alexee, director, Colorado Sierra Club

«We humans share this beautiful state with the wildlife, plants, insects, and birds that are part of nature. The efforts of Governor Polis to protect the wildlife and their habitats through the designation and maintenance of wildlife corridors will enhance the quality of life for us all. These corridors will ensure that future generations will experience the rich diversity of animal life that we do.»

– Sherry Schenk, Public Lands Committee member, Western Colorado Alliance

«Colorado’s leadership in advocating for protection of wildlife corridors is more important than ever before . In southwest Colorado, the most critical wildlife corridor for lynx in the state is at risk from a massive real estate development atop Wolf Creek Pass. We look forward to working with state agencies to make the Governor’s vision a reality.»

– Mark Pearson, executive director, San Juan Citizens Alliance

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Conservation Colorado responds to announcement that Bureau of Land Management will move to Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO — Today, the Department of the Interior officially announced that it plans to relocate the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Grand Junction.

In response, Erin Riccio, Western Slope field organizer with Conservation Colorado, released the following statement:

“It’s no surprise the Bureau of Land Management wants to relocate to Grand Junction. With a fantastic quality of life supported by our stunning public lands, the location is a no-brainer.

“We’re among the many residents in Grand Junction who are excited about this news that will benefit the local economy and bring employees closer to some of the lands they manage. However, moving the BLM headquarters to Grand Junction won’t actually protect our treasured landscapes as long as the Trump administration’s ‘energy dominance’ agenda is in place. At every opportunity, this administration and its supporters have gutted public input processes and dodged transparency requirements, even going so far as to allow drilling permits during January’s government shutdown.

“It is also worth noting that Senator Cory Gardner, who took credit for this move, continues to serve as a cheerleader for President Trump’s anti-conservation agenda. He voted time and time again to cut West Slope residents and Coloradans out of land management decisions, open treasured landscapes to drilling, and remains the only Colorado Senator to never sponsor a Colorado wilderness bill.

“We’re excited that the BLM is coming to Grand Junction. But regardless of where the BLM calls home, Coloradans want a fair public process with a more comprehensive lands management focus than the ‘energy dominance’ agenda of the Trump administration and Senator Gardner.”

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Conservation Colorado Outlines 2017 State Legislative Priorities

As the 2017 legislative session kicks off today, Conservation Colorado, a 22,000-member-strong environmental organization, outlined its key priorities for the session.

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Conservation Colorado Announces Campaign to Convince the Outdoor Retailer Show to Move to Colorado

Conservation Colorado this morning announced a campaign to bring the Outdoor Retailer show to Denver after the show’s contract with Salt Lake City expires in the summer of 2018.

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