Opinion: Colorado should set its own emission standards, for the environment — and the economy.
Awarming climate, caused by increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants in the atmosphere, has immense implications for Colorado’s snowpack, water supply, forest health, wildlife, and snow-sports economy. Globally, the five hottest years on record have occurred since 2010. Regionally, there are now 23 fewer days of freezing temperatures (below 32 degrees) than in the 1970s. Peak runoff of the Colorado River occurred in mid-May--its earliest in 50 years and part of a 21st Century trend, according to the Colorado River Water Conservation District.
As the world continues to follow a “high greenhouse gas emissions trajectory,” the problem of climate change is too hot not to handle. Under this scenario, the Western Slope could experience an average 2.9-degree Fahrenheit increase by 2030 and a 9.7-degree increase by 2090. If we don’t make changes in how we power our lives and economy, Colorado’s climate could become more like that of Arizona or Texas.
To slow these temperature increases, we need to cut climate pollution from our power supply, our homes and businesses, and our vehicles. In Eagle County, dozens of local partners recently adopted the Eagle County Community’s Climate Action Plan, and are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community wide.
The Eagle County Commissioners believe climate change is a threat to our economy and way of life. Therefore, the county participates alongside 30 other counties and municipalities in statewide climate action coalitions. From Fort Collins to Durango, Steamboat Springs to Manitou Springs, Adams County to Gunnison County, local governments are doing their part to address climate change. But of course, state and federal policies have a greater impact because they touch more people. These high-level actions are absolutely needed to turn down the dial on atmospheric pollution and related warming temperatures.
One major U.S. commitment to the Paris Climate Accord (of which the U.S. is no longer a part) was new vehicle emissions standards. These standards require cars and light trucks sold in the United States to average around 50 miles per gallon by 2025. This action would prevent more than 6 billion metric tons — roughly one year’s worth of total U.S. carbon emissions —over the lifetime of the vehicles sold. Now that is a meaningful impact!
Unfortunately, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in April that it would weaken current clean car standards, which is contradictory to what many in the general public desire. Polling in October found that 78 percent of Colorado voters strongly support maintaining strong fuel efficiency standards, not weakening them. The same polling found comparable support in other states, including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Governor Hickenlooper has been a strong leader on climate action. After the Trump administration’s repeal of the Clean Power Plan, which was to be the single largest step America had ever taken to curb climate change, Colorado announced it still planned to exceed the emission reduction targets laid out in the plan. Part of that strategy was the planned retirement of some of the older coal-fired power plants.
But if the administration rolls back current emissions standards, it will nearly wipe out the carbon pollution gains from the retirement of both the Comanche 1 and 2 coal-fired power plants located in Pueblo. It will also deeply undermine Colorado’s ability to meet the Governor’s ambitious climate goals.
Whatever the Trump administration does, Colorado has the option of adopting state-specific emissions standards as California has done, to preserve both fuel efficiency and pollution improvements. The governor’s administration has pushed for strong national vehicle emissions standards. This would be a powerful opportunity for the governor to continue exercising leadership on this critical issue.
On behalf of the Eagle County Board of Commissioners, I want to thank Governor Hickenlooper for his diligence on the issue and urge him to adopt clean car standards for Colorado. We must keep moving forward on reducing carbon pollution and preserving Colorado’s economy, which is so heavily dependent upon a healthy environment.