The Colorado Oil and Gas Association and other business interests formally took a shot at getting Gov. Jared Polis to veto climate-change legislation, House Bill 1266.
The trade association made the request in a letter noting the bill, previously focused on a community disproportionately impacted by environmental issues, to include elements of Senate Bill 200, which Polis had opposed because it granted too much regulatory power to a politically appointed board.
"It is well known that the Governor objected to SB21-200 which would have established hard caps across the economy," his spokesman, Conor Cahill, said in an email. "The Governor worked with the legislature to forge a different path forward that honors the all-of-government approach articulated by the roadmap and keeps the Air Quality Control Commission in their lane rather than setting them above everything. The Governor has always been supportive of the environmental justice provisions in the bill and is glad that they found a vehicle to become law.”
House Bill 1266 is awaiting the governor's signature .
The letter points out the bill collected a 25-page amendment less than 48 hours before the end of the session on June 8, "[w]ithout involving all the industries impacted by this legislation, such as, oil and gas, electric utilities, and others."
"The substantial changes made in this legislation will lead to increased electricity costs and loss of jobs; neither are optimal outcomes emerging from a devastating pandemic and will directly financially impact the bottom line of those who this bill was originally intending to help," COGA and its allies beseeched the governor.
The language and intent of the bill overshoots its title: Environmental Justice on Disproportionately Impacted Communities, the letter states.
"We are asking you to exercise your authority as Governor to veto this legislation, open a thorough and thoughtful stakeholder process over the interim with all affected parties and encourage the legislators to present meaningful climate solutions that are collaborative, attainable, and effective," the coalition's letter asked.
The other signers of the letter included the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the Colorado Mining Association, Intermountain Rural Electric Association, NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, the Colorado Aviation Business Association, the American Petroleum Institute, the Colorado Petroleum Association, the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Upstate Colorado and the Colorado Sand and Gravel Association.
House Bill 1266 originally passed the House before it was heavily amended in the Senate, then repassed 37-27 on the last day of the session, after the upper chamber approved it 19-15 earlier in the day.
This story was updated to include more groups that signed the letter.
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June 24, 2021 at 05:58AM
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