The League of Women Voters of Colorado’s Climate Emergency Task Force believes that we need to act immediately. Join our Energy Team!

1. Our Mission

We support actions to replace energy generated from the burning of fossil fuels with energy generated from clean, renewable sources. We also strive to improve air quality through the reduction of fossil fuels.

2. Take Action!

We educate our League members and the public regarding the urgent need to act in the climate emergency and specifically the role of fossil fuels in creating green-house gases and their destruction of our climate and environment.

We monitor and provide input to state boards, commissions and other state government entities except the Colorado General Assembly in which we work with League lobbyists. We work with Leaguers at other levels of government on issues related to our mission. We recommend Calls To Action. We coordinate our activities with the LWVCO of which we are a part. We work with other organizations outside LWV whose relevant values and positions are consistent with those of LWV as appropriate. We act in accord with the values of climate justice and equity. We take other actions as appropriate that are in accord with our mission, consistent with the actions listed above, and in accord with the LWV.

• Provide information and support participation in implementing an Electric Resource Plan by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. that is responsive to GHG pollution reduction. Provide analysis and background materials to LWV members and to the public. 

• Provide information and support participation in implementing an Electric Resource Plan by Xcel Energy that is responsive to GHG pollution reduction. Provide analysis and background materials to LWV members and to the public. 

• Provide information and support participation in implementing an Electric Resource Plan by Black Hills Energy that is responsive to GHG pollution reduction. Provide analysis and background materials to LWV members and to the public. 

• Follow current bills in the Colorado General Assembly that relate to electric and gas utilities, GHG reduction, and promotion of renewable energy. 

Get the most from your League experience by joining the League of Women Voters of Colorado’s Climate Emergency Task Force Water Team. The team is open to all League members in Colorado.

Email Sandy VanDeHey for more information or to join the Energy team.

3. Meet Our Team

Our members are activists who are passionate about fighting climate change and encouraging the use of renewable energy sources in Colorado.

4. League of Women Voters Resources

The League of Women Voters of the United States Climate Team’s Energy Team:
LWV Climate Team's Water Team

The Climate Emergency Resolution adopted at the League of Women Voters 2020 National Convention:
LWV Climate Emergency Resolution

The League of Women Voters of the United States Issue Positions:
LWV Issue Positions

The League of Women Voters of Colorado’s Issue Positions:
LWVCO Positions For Action

5. Monitor Colorado Regulatory Boards and Commissions

Colorado Energy Office:
Colorado Energy Office

Colorado Air Quality Control Commission:
Colorado Air Quality Control Commission

Colorado Public Utilities Commission:
Colorado Public Utilities Commission

Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission:
Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

Colorado Energy Department "Colorado Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap":
Colorado Roadmap

6. State and Federal Agency Resources

Colorado Public Utilities Commission "Operational Modernization Plan", September 2020:
Operational Modernization Plan 

Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies:
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies 

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment "Colorado Just Transition Action Plan", December 31, 2020: 
Colorado Just Transition Action Plan 

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Air Pollution Control Division "Clean Energy Plan Guidance", Draft Release for Public Comment, September 25, 2020: 
Clean Energy Plan Guidance 

Colorado Legislative Council Staff "Air Pollution Regulation in Colorado", Memorandum, April 21, 2020: 
Air Pollution Regulation in Colorado 

U.S. Senate "Electricity Grid Resilience", Testimony before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, March 10, 2021 
Electricity Grid Resilience  

National Renewable Energy Laboratory 
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

7. Colorado Legislation

Passed during the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions.

For League positions, custom summaries and related background, see the LWVCO Legislative Action Committee Page:
LWVCO Legislative Action Committee

HB22-1348 Oversight of chemicals used in oil & gas:

HB22-1348

Disclosure to COGCC of certain chemical information for products used in downhole oil and gas operations. 

HB22-1361 Oil & gas reporting:

HB22-1361

State auditor to conduct a performance audit on a random sample of operators for information on production and severance tax withholding to identify gaps or inconsistencies in payments or reports.

 

HB22-1381 Colorado Energy Office geothermal energy grant program:

HB22-1381

Funding for installing geothermal systems for primary heating or for electricity generation. Prioritizes projects for low-income, disproportionately impacted, or just transition communities.

 

HB22-1394 Fund just transition community & worker supports:

HB22-1394

Allocation to coal transition workforce assistance program for specified coal communities.

 

SB22-118 Encourage geothermal energy use:

SB22-118

Systems that use geothermal energy for water heating or space heating or cooling are certified as pollution control equipment and are regulated similarly to solar energy systems.

 

SB22-198 Orphaned oil & gas wells enterprise:

SB22-198

Creates enterprise for plugging, reclaiming, and remediating orphan wells with costs to be borne by operators as mitigation fees.

HB21-1324  Promote innovative and clean energy technologies:

HB21-1324

Process and criteria for PUC approval of investor-owned utility investments in clean energy.

HB21-1269 Public utilities commission study of community choice energy:
HB21-1269

Under CCE a community or group of communities may choose to purchase electricity from a wholesale supplier other than the local investor-owned electric utility; enables local control in meeting renewable energy goals.

HB21-1286 Energy performance for buildings:
HB21-1286

Addresses measures to improve energy efficiency of large buildings by reporting energy-use benchmarking data and conformance with energy performance and GHG emissions standards. 

HB21-1253 Renewable and clean energy project grants:

HB21-1253

Grants to local governments.

HB21-1238 Public utilities commission modernize gas utility demand-side management standards:
HB21-1238

Demand-side management programs are designed to encourage consumers to modify their level and pattern of electric and gas usage to improve energy efficiency and lower GHG emissions.

HB21-1105 Low-income Utility Payment Assistance Contributions:
HB21-1105

Changes the way utility assistance is funded by requiring $1 charge on each electric bill and each natural gas bill issued by investor-owned utilities.  Includes Water in the scope of utilities and provides for assistance on water bills to be funded by an opt-in program. 

HB21-1052 Define Pumped Hydroelectricity As Renewable Energy:
HB21-1052

Pumped hydroelectricity would be eligible as renewable energy if the energy used for pumping into the reservoir did not include combustion of any fossil fuels.

SB21-072 Public Utilities Commission Modernize Electric Transmission Infrastructure:
SB21-072

Supports the expansion of renewable energy by offering more efficient siting of wind and solar generation. 

SB21-108 Public Utilities Commission Gas Utility Safety Inspection Authority:
SB21-108

Clarifies the rulemaking and enforcement authority for inspections; eliminates a gray area for authority to inspect gathering gas lines.

HB21-1131 Cooperative Electric Association Governance Requirements:
HB21-1131 

HB21-1105 Low-income Utility Payment Assistance Contributions:
HB21-1105 

HB21-1052 Define Pumped Hydroelectricity As Renewable Energy:
HB21-1052 

SB21-246 Electric utility promote beneficial electrification:
SB21-246

Utilities to develop plans to help replace natural gas- and propane-powered appliances and equipment  with high efficiency electric versions to meet energy saving goals set by PUC.

 

SB21-261 Public utilities commission encourage renewable energy generation:
SB21-261

Facilitates on-site distributed renewable energy (RE) resources such as solar panel installations and battery storage; increases the current installation size limit.  PUC to adopt rules encouraging landlords and tenants in multi-unit buildings to share in the costs and benefits of new distributed generation facilities

 

SB21-264 Adopt programs reduce greenhouse gas emissions utilities:
SB21-264

Natural gas utilities to design Clean Heat Plans that reduce methane emissions through leak reduction and GHG emissions through efficiency and beneficial electrification.

 

SB21-272 Measures to modernize the Public Utilities Commission:
SB21-272

PUC to adopt rules requiring utilities to provide equity, minimize impacts and prioritize disproportionately impacted communities and to address historical inequalities including environmental vulnerabilities, environmental degradation, lack of opportunity for public participation. Adds protective and preventative guardrails around passing costs to ratepayers as Colorado transitions to renewable energy.

SB21-072 Public Utilities Commission Modernize Electric Transmission Infrastructure:
SB21-072 

SB21-108 Public Utilities Commission Gas Utility Safety Inspection Authority:
SB21-108 

Enacted

See the Colorado General Assembly website:
Colorado General Assembly
HB20-1225 Cooperative Electric Utilities Reasonable Rates Energy Storage:
HB20-1225 

HB19-1003 Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act:
HB19-1003 

8. Energy Organization Resources

Colorado Sierra Club:
Colorado Sierra Club 

350 Colorado:
350 Colorado 

Conservation Colorado:
Conservation Colorado 

Colorado Communities 4 Climate Action:
Colorado Communities 4 Climate Action 

Clean Energy Action:
Clean Energy Action 

Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Colorado Chapters:
Citizens’ Climate Lobby Colorado 

Colorado Renewable Energy Society:
Colorado Renewable Energy Society 

Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate:
Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate 

Climate Action Network, Colorado Organizations:
Climate Action Network Members 

9. Read About Energy Issues

Massachusetts Institute of Technology "The Future of the Electric Grid", 2011
The Future of the Electric Grid

Colorado Climate Network and Colorado Municipal League "Report of the Colorado Local Resilience Project", April 2015:
Report of the Colorado Local Resilience Project"