Public News Service

Inflation Reduction Act funding is helping leading electric cooperatives, which serve one in five rural Americans, to accelerate the adoption of affordable and reliable clean energy, lowering costs for their members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

Colorado's second-largest electricity provider, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, projects new federal clean energy funding will …

Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $10.8 billion on outdoor recreation within Colorado's river basins in 2019. About a quarter of this came from participants in water sports such as rafting. (Adobe Stock)

Polis taps nation’s strongest water-quality protections for 15 CO rivers

Nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court left key watersheds unprotected by the Clean Water Act, the Polis administration has designated new …

Despite pledges from semiconductor companies in the 1990s to phase out dangerous chemicals, miscarriage and cancer rates remain high among the global workforce. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CHIPS Act opportunity to set standard for good Colorado jobs

As the Biden-Harris Administration prepares to invest up to $175 billion in tax money into semiconductor manufacturing under the CHIPS Act, a new …

Colorado is investing in key infrastructure to power and maintain electric vehicles, including connecting new solar canopies to the electric grid, and adding more charging stations. (Adobe Stock)

Clean buses coming to Colorado transit systems

The Colorado Department of Transportation is investing nearly $32 million to help local governments and other stakeholders transition to electric vehi…

Lowry Ranch is important habitat for several Tier 1 species from the State Wildlife Action Plan, including the burrowing owl, northern leopard frog and swift fox. (Adobe Stock)

Aurora residents to continue opposition to fracking near reservoir, Superfund site

Aurora residents and environmental groups said they will continue to oppose fracking near the Aurora Reservoir, thousands of homes and 13 schools …

$Most methane pollution comes from the drilling and processing of fossil fuels, and has been on the rise since the introduction of hydraulic fracturing technology. (Adobe Stock)$

Colorado, nation face public health, climate risks as methane pollution soars

Methane pollution is increasing at the fastest rate in decades, according to a new report, and that's making it harder to turn the tide on climate …

Untreated factory farm waste runoff contains high levels of fecal pathogens such as E. coli, antibiotics and cleaning chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

Clean-water advocates head back to court over Colorado factory farms

Clean-water advocates are heading to state district court after Colorado regulators turned their back on a judge's decision last year calling for bett…

At least half of the $32.8 million to replace lead pipes will be prioritized for areas overburdened by pollution and decades of underinvestment, including communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Infrastructure Law brings $32.8 million to Colorado to replace lead pipes

Nearly $33 million from President Joe Biden's bipartisan Infrastructure Law is headed to Colorado to help locate and remove hazardous lead pipes from …

Most of the USDA produce samples tested in this year's Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group were within the legal allowance for chemical pesticide residue. (Adobe Stock)

Strawberries top Dirty Dozen list of produce packed with pesticides

Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the …

Decades of policies like redlining, that forced people of color into neighborhoods surrounded by industrial polluters, have led to a host of negative health outcomes, including cancers and premature death. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado lawmakers eye ways to reduce pollution in vulnerable communities

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers took a first step toward addressing decades of toxic pollution disproportionately impacting low-income neighborhoods and …

Supporters of Colorado's House Bill 1379 said it will help protect Coloradans from flooding, help ensure safe and sufficient drinking water and help preserve fishing, boating, and other recreational opportunities across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Restoring protections for Colorado endangered waters and wetlands

Colorado lawmakers are considering legislation to restore protections to key waters and wetlands struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year in a …

Firefighters and veterans stationed at military bases for at least one year, and who have cancer or other diseases may be eligible to receive financial compensation from the companies that produced PFAS forever chemicals. (Adobe Stock)

New bill would expand PFAS ban for tampons, other consumer items

Colorado lawmakers want to beef up legislation that bans PFAS, so-called forever chemicals, by 2028. Yahn Olson is an associate attorney with …

Oil and natural gas operations are the source of nearly 30% of all methane emissions in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

New methane rule promises public health benefits

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, has become a global target in efforts to blunt the worst impacts of climate change. The Biden …

Harmful chemicals including lead, particulate matter, pesticides, and phthalates added to plastics, impair brain development in children. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Toxic chemicals stealing kids’ future potential

Children of color and from low-income families in Colorado and across the nation are not only exposed to more dangerous toxic chemicals - including le…

September marked the planet's fourth-hottest month in a row, and 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record. (Adobe Stock)

Surge in renewables keeps hopes of averting worst climate impacts alive

Record growth in wind and solar energy, battery storage and electric vehicle sales have kept the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 within …

Symptoms of asthma are similar to the more common condition of bronchiolitis, and taking medicines designed for asthma alone can be risky. (Adobe Stock)

Low Value Care Costs Patients and Payers $134 Million Per Year

Coloradans received nearly 2 million potentially unnecessary health care services in 2021, at a cost of some $134 million for patients and health …

Greenhouse gas emissions from homes and buildings are responsible for an estimated 20 percent of the nation's total energy-related climate pollution, and are the third-largest contributor of emissions in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

Xcel Plan to Reduce Emissions Includes Untested Technologies

In 2021, Colorado lawmakers required utilities supplying natural gas for heating homes and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4% by 2025…

Credit unions are lending to households and small businesses to install solar and other improvements, which are costly up front, loans frequently considered too small by bigger banks. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Credit Union Helping Decarbonize Homes

July was the hottest month in recorded history, and a Colorado credit union is finding creative ways for low-income and other vulnerable residents to …

Despite global promises to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, oil and gas production is nearing record levels in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Health Costs of Oil, Gas Production $77B Annually

Air pollution from oil and gas production contributes to thousands of premature deaths and childhood asthma cases each year, according to new …

As of May, more than 5,500 vouchers toward purchasing electric-powered bicycles had been redeemed. (Adobe Stock)

Denver’s E-Bike Rebates So Hot They're Gone Within Minutes

By Whitney Bauck for Bloomberg News.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

Oil and gas leasing are currently allowed on 90% of publicly-owned lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Seeks Coloradans' Input on New Public-Lands Rule Aiming for Balance

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is holding a public hearing today in Denver on its new rule, which aims to put conservation, protection of …

Signs someone could be having a stroke and needs immediate emergency care include loss of speech, vision or the inability to move their arms or legs or maintain balance. (Adobe Stock)

National Stroke Awareness Month Spotlights Environmental Factors

Cardiovascular diseases are the world's leading cause of disability and death, and are responsible for nearly a million deaths each year in the U.S.…

More than 200 million people in the United States are estimated to currently have unhealthy levels of PFAS in their water. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Drinking Water Standards Take Aim at PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

At least 20 Colorado municipalities will have to improve their water treatment systems to remove so-called forever chemicals called PFAS from drinking…

Wildfire experts plan to use unmanned drones to help improve early detection, battle fires more effectively, and to reseed and restore scarred forests. (Windsong/Adobe Stock)

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

As wildfire seasons in Colorado and across the American West become longer, less predictable and increasingly destructive, a new report aims to …

The 163 billion cubic feet of lost methane on public lands represents enough wasted natural gas to meet the needs of 2.2 million households; nearly as many households as New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming combined. (Adobe Stock)

Half Billion Dollars Worth of Natural Gas Lost Each Year on Public Lands

Oil and gas operators waste more than $500 million worth of natural gas on public lands every year, according to a new report. Chad Franke, …

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

Green buildings are designed to reduce carbon footprints, and operational and maintenance costs, which boosts bottom lines for building owners and occupants. (Adobe Stock)

Building Construction in Colorado 7th Greenest in U.S.

Colorado ranks seventh nationally when it comes to addressing climate change in its building practices, according to the latest U.S. Green Building …

Under Colorado's clean air law, major polluters including coal mines are required to obtain and comply with air pollution operating permits. (WildEarth Guardians)

Deadline for State to Act on Coal Mine Air Pollution Permit Back in Court

Environmental groups are headed back to court this Friday in hopes of setting a clear deadline for Gov. Jared Polis' administration to start reining …

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Methane Waste Rules Welcomed to Improve Public Health

Public-health advocates are welcoming a new proposal to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities. Sabrina …

Outdoor recreation added $11.6 billion to Colorado's economy in 2021 and supported more than 250,000 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists Push Investment in Thompson Divide Protections

Outdoor recreation contributed a whopping $862 billion to the U.S. economy last year, according to the most recent accounting by the Bureau of …

Children living near refineries, highways and other sources of air pollution are disproportionately at risk of developing respiratory illness. (Adobe Stock)

Connecting CO Health Outcomes to Climate Solutions, Lower Utility Bills

A successful program that helps low-income households weatherize homes and lower energy bills is setting its sights on improving the health outcomes o…

Some global scientists report that current pledges to cut carbon emissions are

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Coloradans Launch 'Fracking Fuels the Flames' Campaign

As Colorado experiences bigger and more frequent wildfires, prolonged drought and other impacts of a changing climate, a coalition of community …

Native American and Black households are twice as likely to experience energy insecurity than white households. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Inflation Reduction Act Good First Step for Low-income Energy Needs

President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has been billed as the most significant legislation in U.S. history to tackle the climate crisis…

The Suncor Line 1 Rocky Mountain Pipeline Project would replace an existing 10-inch pipeline with a 16-inch pipeline. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Groups Petition Leaders to Halt Suncor Line 1 Pipeline

More than 40 environmental groups are urging federal regulators and Colorado's Congressional delegation to put a pause on a pipeline project under way…

New technology can pinpoint methane sources to within 15 feet, and using a high-resolution imagery, can connect plumes to individual pieces of equipment. (Adobe Stock)

New Maps Expose Methane 'Super-Emitter' Sites

A new study mapping methane pollution across five oil and gas production basins in states including Colorado found a small number of sites account for…

A recent designation of Southwest Colorado streams marks the largest community proposal for Outstanding Waters protections to be adopted in Colorado's history. (Adobe Stock)

Southwestern Colorado Waters Win New Protections

As climate change brings longer and more severe drought to the American Southwest, a community-led coalition is celebrating new protections for more …

Clean-air advocates say reducing flaring at the Suncor refinery is just one step Colorado can take to reduce harmful ozone smog. (Adobe Stock)

CO Clean-Air Advocates Push for Better Ozone Protections

Kate Merlin's two children could not play outside for nearly half of last summer at camp because ground-level ozone reached levels considered dangerou…

The oil and methane gas industry is one of the biggest contributors to smog in Colorado. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Sued for OK'ing Colorado Smog-Reduction Plan with Fracking Loophole

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit aimed at forcing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject Colorado's plan to bring …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

Almost 5,000 oil and gas wells have been developed under the Polis administration, whose Greenhouse Pollution Reduction Roadmap includes plans to increase oil and gas production while mitigating methane leaks. (Adobe Stock)

Polis Pressed to Act Faster on Climate Change

A coalition of more than 60 environmental and community groups are calling on Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and other elected officials to act faster to …

Well sites that produce less than 15 barrels of oil equivalent a day account for 80% of the nation's oil and gas wells. (Adobe Stock)

Plugging Methane Leaks Key to Improving CO Air Quality

Smaller or marginal wells account for just 6% of the nation's oil and gas production, but are responsible for half of all methane pollution in the U.…

Pollsters at Colorado College saw a 22-point increase in the number of respondents who say climate change is a serious problem compared to a 2011 poll. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Youth Take Aim at Largest Corporate Polluters

Colorado students are expected to gather at the State Capitol today, joining a global climate youth strike. Students will also march to a Chase bank …

The Suncor oil refinery releases nearly one million metric tons of carbon pollution annually, as much as 216,000 passenger vehicles. (Adobe Stock)

Commerce City Residents Urge EPA to Reject Suncor Pollution Permit

Commerce City residents living in the shadow of the Suncor refinery are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to deny an emissions permit rec…

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is expected to vote on new rules requiring financial assurances for oil and gas wells in January. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: Oil-Gas Panel's New Proposal Stops Short of Protecting Taxpayers

DENVER -- The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has released new draft rules to ensure taxpayers are not on the hook for abandoned oil and …

Nearly 6% of workers telecommuted in 2018, up from 2% in 1980, according to a New York Times report. Researchers project that 20% of work will be done from home post-COVID. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Colorado Companies to Reduce Air Pollution Post-COVID

DENVER -- As offices and businesses begin to open their doors after COVID-19 shutdowns, a new guidebook offers ways for CEOs and other commuters to …

In 2019, Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation committing the state to reduce emissions by 90% from 2005 levels by 2050. (Roy Buri/Pixabay)

Colorado Officials Welcome Feds Back as Climate Partners

BASALT, Colo. -- As President Joe Biden meets with world leaders on Earth Day to reaffirm America's commitment to addressing climate change, Colorado …

Low-income communities and communities of color have been disproportionately affected by climate change, and air and water pollution. (Walter Siegmund/Wikimedia Commons)

Colorado Latinos Welcome Biden’s Climate Orders

DENVER -- The Colorado chapter of Green Latinos welcomes the trove of executive orders signed by President Joe Biden this week meant to tackle climate…

A new Yale University survey found that 83% of Americans support creating a jobs program that would hire unemployed coal workers to safely close down old coal mines and restore the natural landscape.(Hangela/Pixabay)

Colorado Forges Ahead on 'Just Transition' for Coal Workers, Communities

DENVER -- Helping Colorado workers and the communities they live in transition away from coal could take more than a decade, and at least $100 …

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