Name: Colorado's plan to reduce greenhouse gases calls for more electric cars, cuts to oil and gas emissions
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Colorado's plan to reduce greenhouse gases calls for more electric cars, cuts to oil and gas emissions

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By | | The Denver PostGov. Jared Polis’ draft plan to drastically cut greenhouse gas pollution in Colorado calls for an accelerated move to electric vehicles and buses, deep reductions of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry and at least an 80% drop in emissions from electricity generation.The plan released Wednesday for public comment aims to cut greenhouse gas pollution by more than a quarter of 2005 levels in the next five years and cut it in half by 2030.Beyond that, Polis’ plan calls for “close to 100%” of the vehicles on Colorado’s roads in 2050 to be electric.This news comes as National Weather Service officials Wednesday morning to avoid outdoor activity and to keep their windows closed because the air quality — largely due to the massive and ongoing wildfires — is so poor.Polis mentioned those wildfires in a statement as examples of the “countless indicators” brought on by climate change that threaten Colorado’s economy and way of life as he unveiled the draft Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap.“From day one, my administration has prioritized a swift transition to renewable energy and bold climate action, and this roadmap is a significant step forward to continue to reduce pollution for the benefit of the health and well-being of our communities and our economy,” Polis said in the statement.The plan is the result of the Colorado Action Plan to Reduce Pollution Act, which Polis signed into law in May 2019, his administration said in a news release. That sparked a partnership between the Colorado Energy Office, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, among others, to collect an inventory of emissions, anticipate the effects of 14 climate and energy bills enacted in 2019 and suggest ways to reduce those emissions.Meeting the plan’s five- and 10-year goals can be done with existing technologies, though it will require new policies statewide, officials said. Much will depend on transitioning further to low-cost renewable energy and reducing pollution from cars and trucks by switching to electric vehicles and reducing the need for driving.The state also needs to cut pollution from the oil and gas industries, landfills, sewage treatment plants and more, the news release said. Buildings should also be constructed more efficiently and shift further toward a “cleaner” electrical grid.The recommendations drew swift and mixed reactions across the state.While the draft is still under review, Lynn Granger, executive director of API Colorado, a local branch of a national oil and gas trade group, said the industry has worked proactively to reduce emissions.“This roadmap appears to be a modeling exercise, and while such an exercise can be a useful tool, the state must answer foundational policy questions before adopting sweeping rules with the potential to transform Colorado’s economy,” Granger said in a statement. “We look forward to playing a role in those discussions.”Laurie Cipriano, a spokeswoman for Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development, also added that natural gas must be paired with renewables to offer a diverse and reliable source of energy.Others, like Kelly Nordini, executive director of Conservation Colorado, reacted more favorably, saying the draft serves as a pivotal moment for climate action in the state.“The governor ran and won on a platform of bold climate action,” Nordini said. “There are some good ideas here with real opportunities, but for Governor Polis’ climate roadmap to have his ‘boldly forward’ stamp, verifiable pollution cuts need to come together with specific and equitable policies and deadlines — as we’ve seen from other governors. The science and the urgency are clear on what it will take to leave a legacy for our children.”Other conservationists like the Western Resource Advocates and the Environmental Defense Fund echoed that sentiment in general support but also called for more specificity.The entire draft and its recommendations can be found online at .“There’s a lot of work ahead of us to address the climate crisis, and we’re going to continue moving forward with a rigorous, data-driven process to implement the policies that are right for Colorado’s environment, people, disproportionately impacted communities and economy,” said John Putnam, director of environmental programs for the state Department of Public Health and Environment.A public listening session will be held on the topic on Oct. 20 and the draft is open for public comment through Nov. 1 the news release said. The document is expected to be finalized and published by the end of the year.We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. As of June 15, 2022, comments on are powered by Viafoura, and you may need to log in again to begin commenting. Read more about our new commenting system . If you need help or are having issues with your commenting account, please email us atSign up for Newsletters and AlertsFollow UsMost PopularClose

By | | The Denver PostGov. Jared Polis’ draft plan to drastically cut greenhouse gas pollution in Colorado calls for an accelerated move to electric vehicles and buses, deep reductions of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry and at least an 80% drop in emissions from electricity generation.The plan released Wednesday for public comment aims to cut greenhouse gas pollution by more than a quarter of 2005 levels in the next five years and cut it in half by 2030.Beyond that, Polis’ plan calls for “close to 100%” of the vehicles on Colorado’s roads in 2050 to be electric.This news...

Colorado's plan to reduce greenhouse gases calls for more electric cars, cuts to oil and gas emissions

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