Public News Service

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 …

Oso Outdoors offers winter and summer programs, including mountain biking, which aim to help bring more diversity to outdoor recreation in Summit County. (Adobe Stock)

Conservationists want free national park access for newest U.S. citizens

Conservation groups are asking federal agencies to give newly naturalized U.S. citizens a free America the Beautiful National Parks pass. Javier …

Oil companies have publicly championed tech-based carbon-capture solutions in part because it would allow them to continue selling fossil fuels. (Adobe Stock)

Tech-based carbon-capture projects making headway in local governments

By Ysabelle Kempe for SmartCitiesDive.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pu…

The top eight oil and gas corporations alone are set to burn 30% of the world's remaining global carbon budget, the total amount of climate pollution scientists said can be released during a transition to clean energy. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Big oil continues to resist, block fast transition to clean energy

Big oil is dropping the ball when it comes to meeting the companies' public pledges to help avert catastrophic climate change, according to a new …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Methane emissions for oil and gas wellheads have accounted for roughly 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times, and are proliferating faster than at any other time, according to a United Nations study. (Adobe Stock)

CO methane verification protocol seen as 'major breakthrough'

Environmental groups are calling Colorado's new rules to measure methane pollution a "major breakthrough" in curbing it. The Greenhouse Gas …

According to Colorado College's 2023 Conservation in the West Poll, 82% of voters in the Rocky Mountain West support a national goal of conserving America's lands and waters in the next decade. (Adobe Stock)

BLM finalizes rule to prioritize protection of public lands in CO, West

The federal Bureau of Land Management has released its long-awaited final Public Lands Rule, which aims to reconcile a perceived imbalance between …

Colorado is the fourth largest oil producing state in the country and eighth largest gas producing state. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Methane pollution from oil and gas production greatly underestimated

Data from new satellite-based technology show that the amount of methane pollution impacting communities living near oil and gas facilities is far gre…

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 …

In November 2023, the Financial Times reported that Trump was

Report: Second Trump term would add 4 billion tons of climate pollution

As Coloradans begin to weigh their options in this year's presidential election, a new Carbon Brief analysis projects that a second Biden term would …

Nine in 10 voters across eight Mountain West states including Colorado want oil and gas companies, not federal and state governments, to pay for cleanup and restoration costs. (Adobe Stock)

West's Latino voters want conservation over development on public lands

Voters, including 74% of Republicans, 87% of Independents and 96% of Democrats, would support candidates in elections who prioritize conservation on …

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision held that the freedom of speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations. (Adobe Stock)

Tracking foreign interests in Colorado political campaigns

Despite federal laws that prohibit campaign contributions by people who are not United States citizens, foreign-influenced corporations and their …

Latinos account for 47% of agricultural field workers and 46% of construction laborers in the U.S. and face extreme summer heat threats due to climate change. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Climate change challenging Latinos' health and heritage

As climate change makes extreme weather events more common globally, Latinos often face the most significant effects to their health, safety…

Eight in 10 Coloradans agreed forests, farms, grasslands and wetlands naturally capture carbon pollution, the primary driver of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado poll shows broad support for voluntary private land conservation

Colorado voters said they support previous efforts to conserve the state's wild landscapes and open spaces, according to a new survey, and they …

Nearly half of people living in Alamosa, where Xcel Energy plans to build one of three new natural gas power plants, identify as Hispanic or Latino according to U.S. Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental justice and Xcel plans for new fossil fuel power plants

Xcel Energy says its latest proposal before the Public Utilities Commission will help Colorado reach it's clean energy goals - by adding more wind and…

Farms are in a unique position to slow global warming by reducing methane emissions, which are more than 80 times more potent at trapping heat in the atmosphere than CO2. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers and making space for next generation farmers

As Congress drafts the next Farm Bill, the National Young Farmers Coalition is calling on lawmakers to tackle climate disruptions and racial equity …

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…

Solar canopies are expected to produce nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, and eliminate 70,000 metric tons of climate pollution over the next decade. (Adobe Stock)

Solar canopies throw shade on Colorado school parking lots

Colorado schools are joining the struggle to hold off the worst impacts of climate change and lower their energy bills by installing solar canopies on…

Colorado has set a goal of having 2 million electric vehicles on the road by 2035 to help reduce harmful air pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Public health benefits in new Colorado zero-emissions vehicle rule

A new rule, requiring 82% of new car and truck sales in Colorado to be zero-emissions vehicles by 2032, could begin to turn the tide on the state's …

Regulation 28 is a result of a Colorado law aiming to reduce climate pollution from buildings by seven percent by 2026, and to reduce energy use by 20% by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

CO Targets Apartment, Commercial, Industrial Building Climate Pollution

Colorado wants to reduce climate pollution from apartments and commercial buildings 50,000 square feet and larger, but there is growing concern …

So far, 283 projects in Colorado have been identified as priorities under the Inflation Reduction Act. (Adobe Stock)

IRA Funding Set to Boost Colorado's Clean Energy Economy

This month marks one year since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation's first significant investment in addressing climate change…

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…

Some crops beneath solar panels only need watering every couple of days, compared with every few hours for those grown in direct sunlight. (Adobe Stock)

Solar-Farming Combos Reducing Water Usage

By Jane Palmer for Ensia.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…

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 …

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 …

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 …

Poll: Strong Support for Conservation Among CO Communities of Color

Communities of color in Colorado and across the West strongly support conservation policies, including protecting water supplies and transitioning to …

Encuesta: Fuerte apoyo para la conservación entre comunidades de color de CO

Comunidades de color en Colorado y en todo el oeste apoyan firmemente las políticas de conservación, incluida la protección de los …

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…

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 …

Coloradans living in lower-income households are not only at higher risk of harm from climate change, but also suffer from environmental racism and injustice in their day-to-day costs of living, including the expense of purchasing bottled water. (Adobe Stock)

New Report Spotlights Climate Justice Blind Spots

Colorado's low-income workers and communities of color along the Front Range said they face daily environmental threats, including poor air and water …

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 …

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…

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.…

Leading global climate scientists have warned that sharp reductions in the burning of fossil fuels before 2030 are necessary to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. (Adobe Stock)

CO Website Spotlights Neighborhood-Level Risks of Climate Change

Coloradans already are seeing the impacts of climate change - rising temperatures, more frequent and severe wildfires, flooding and prolonged drought …

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 …

New data shows more than $800 million in U.S. pension funds, including Colorado PERA, are invested in Russian oil and gas companies. (Adobe Stock)

PERA Urged to Divest from Russian Oil and Gas Companies

After Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine, the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) withdrew $7.2 million from a …

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…

According to a poll conducted earlier this year by Colorado College, 78% of Coloradans say that oil and gas development on national public lands should be stopped or strictly limited. (Adobe Stock)

Report Underscores Need for Oil, Gas Leasing Reforms

DENVER -- President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act includes reforms for oil and gas production on public lands first introduced by the Reagan admin…

Forests can play a big role in alleviating climate-change threats. Forests, harvested wood products and urban trees offset 11% of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States each year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Have Stake in Climate-Change Solutions

DENVER -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness and outdoors as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring …

Advocates are calling on state and federal lawmakers to shift policies, such as replacing the term

Children's Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Expand Access to Outdoor Learning

DENVER -- As Congress considers making significant investments in the nation's child-care system, children's advocates say now is the time to make …

One way to reduce the amount of harmful wildfire pollution entering your home is to use air filters designed to capture harmful PM 2.5 particulates. (Adobe Stock)

Reducing Indoor Air Pollution as Wildfires, Ozone Send Kids, Others Inside

DENVER - During a summer filled with bad-air-quality-alert days across Colorado, children, people with respiratory illnesses and older residents have …

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CO: Environmental Justice