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Colorado AG, environmental groups challenge Trump administration order requiring Craig coal plant to remain in operation

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Colorado AG, environmental groups challenge Trump administration order requiring Craig coal plant to remain in operation


Steam rises from Craig Station in Moffat County. U.S. Energy Department Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order on Dec. 30 requiring one its coal-burning units to remain operational, just one day before it was scheduled to close.
Dylan Anderson/Steamboat Pilot & Today archive

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and a coalition of environmental groups on Wednesday asked the U.S. Department of Energy to rescind its recent order requiring a coal-burning power plant in northwest Colorado to remain operational one day before it was scheduled to close. 

The aging Craig Station Unit 1 plant in Moffat County was slated to shut down at the end of 2025, but Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order on Dec. 30 extending the plant’s life to March 30, and possibly later. 

The emergency order was issued under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, which allows the Energy Department to keep power plants running during times of crisis, such as war or energy shortages. The move to keep the Craig plant open had been expected for weeks.



Weiser and the coalition of environmental groups, which includes the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and Earthjustice — on behalf of GreenLatinos, Vote Solar, and Public Citizen — filed separate challenges with the department over its use of the emergency order, which both filings claim was illegal. 

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Wright wrote in his emergency order that Colorado and other Western states face an energy “emergency” due to a “shortage of electric energy, a shortage of facilities for the generation of electric energy, and other causes.” 



The closure of coal-burning plants “could lead to the loss of power to homes,” Wright’s order states, as well as “businesses in the areas that may be affected by curtailments or power outages, presenting a risk to public health and safety.”

The Trump administration has used similar justifications under the Federal Power Act to keep open coal plants in Michigan and Washington, as well as an oil plant in Pennsylvania. 

Weiser, in a press release, said there is “no evidence of an energy emergency that would require keeping Craig Unit 1 open,” adding that the decision will “result in millions of dollars of unnecessary costs that could be passed on to rural households and businesses already struggling with high electricity bills.”

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser discusses some of the Western Slope’s most pressing challenges during a stop in Glenwood Springs on June 26, 2025.
Andrea Teres-Martinez/The Aspen Times

In their own press release, leaders from the environmental groups said that forcing the Craig plant to stay operational will both increase utility costs and negatively impact the environment. They said the emergency order also goes against the wishes of the plant’s owners. 

“Colorado communities, regulators, and utilities spent years planning a lawful, cost-effective transition away from coal,” said Vote Solar Regulatory Director for the West Kate Bowman. “Overriding that process at the eleventh hour erodes public trust and leaves families paying more for decisions made without their input.”

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Craig Station Unit 1 is co-owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a utility cooperative, alongside other energy providers, including Xcel Energy, the Platte River Power Authority and PacifiCorp. 

Tri-State originally decided to close the more than 40-year-old plant by the end of 2025 as part of its move to more environmentally friendly energy sources. It plans to close Craig Station’s two other coal-burning plants by 2028. 

The effort is partly driven by a state law that requires large-scale utility providers to reach 100% renewable electrical energy by 2050. Tri-State is also looking to close its plants and transition to other energy sources for economic reasons.

In a statement released in response to the emergency order in late December, Tri-State said Craig Station Unit 1 had been closed down even before the Dec. 30 order due to “a mechanical failure of a valve.”

Tri-State added that keeping the plant open “will likely require additional investments in operations, repairs, maintenance and, potentially, fuel supply, all factors increasing costs.”

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Tri-State CEO Duane Highley said in a statement at the time that Tri-State ratepayers will “bear the costs of compliance with this order unless we can identify a method to share costs with those in the region. There is not a clear path for doing so, but we will continue to evaluate our options.” 

Both Wesier and the coalition of environmental groups, in their filing with the Energy Department, claim the department misused the Federal Power Act when it issued its emergency order and have presented no evidence of an energy emergency. 

The department must respond to the filing within 30 days. Environmental groups said they will challenge the order in court if the department declines to respond or denies their request to lift the order.

The fight over the future of the Craig power station also comes amid the backdrop of the Trump administration’s broader push to support more fossil fuel production. 

The U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month rejected Colorado’s latest air-quality plan, saying that it violated federal law by forcing the closure of coal-fired power plants without the consent of plant operators. Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic lawmakers in Congress lambasted that decision.

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Colorado weather: Up to 14 inches of snow forecast for mountains

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Colorado weather: Up to 14 inches of snow forecast for mountains


Snow started Monday night in Colorado’s mountains and will continue throughout the week, likely making its way into the Denver area on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Colorado’s mountain roads, including Interstate 70 at the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel and Berthoud Pass, were already snow-covered Tuesday morning, according to the weather service.

“With more snow to come throughout the day, a Winter Weather Advisory was issued for the Front Range Mountains,” forecasters said.

That advisory will be in effect until 8 p.m. Tuesday for parts of Jackson, Larimer, Boulder, Grand, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit and Park counties, including Rocky Mountain National Park. Additional snow accumulations between 6 and 14 inches are possible on Tuesday, forecasters said in the alert.

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As of Tuesday, the weather service’s snow forecasts included:

  • 2 inches on I-70’s Vail Pass, with up to 3 inches possible
  • 3 inches in Winter Park, with up to 4 inches possible
  • 4 inches in Eldora and on U.S. 6’s Loveland Pass, with up to 5 inches possible
  • 4 inches on U.S. 40’s Berthoud Pass near Winter Park, with up to 7 inches possible
  • 5 inches at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, with up to 7 inches possible
  • 6 inches on U.S. 34’s Milner Pass in RMNP, with up to 8 inches possible
  • 7 inches on Colorado 14’s Cameron Pass near Fort Collins, with up to 8 inches possible
  • 9 inches on Mount Zirkel, the highest summit of Colorado’s Park Range of the Rocky Mountains, with up to 11 inches possible

“Travel could be very difficult,” weather service forecasters stated in the winter weather advisory. “The hazardous conditions will impact the Tuesday morning and evening commutes.”



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Weiss keeps focus on job as Colorado AHL assistant, not historic promotion | NHL.com

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Weiss keeps focus on job as Colorado AHL assistant, not historic promotion | NHL.com


In NHL.com’s Q&A feature called “Sitting Down with …” we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. This week, we feature Kim Weiss, assistant coach of the Colorado Eagles, the Colorado Avalanche’s American Hockey League affiliate. Weiss was named assistant for the Eagles on Jan. 16, joining Seattle Kraken assistant Jessica Campbell as the only women in the NHL or AHL to be a full-time assistant coach.

Kim Weiss doesn’t think about the history she’s made that often.

The 36-year-old is too busy with her duties that come with being the Colorado Eagles’ assistant coach, including breaking down 5-on-5 video — she was the team’s video coach prior to her promotion — presenting it to the team, pushing pucks and running practice drills.

“When the title change happened and the promotion happened, I left the office of the general manager (Kevin McDonald), and I got back to work,” Weiss told NHL.com. “In the moment you’re not really thinking about that kind of stuff, but obviously it’s an honor.

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“I’m especially grateful just because of my background. I didn’t play on a national team, I didn’t grow up in Minnesota or any kind of a hockey hotbed. So to get at this level and to have this legacy, for lack of a better word, from the place I’m from, a kid from Maryland that played Division III (hockey at Trinity College), it makes me even more proud to show people that you can get somewhere no matter where you start from. Then you add in being a female and all of that, I’m really proud of my journey and I’m proud of all the people who helped me along the way to get here.”

It’s been quite a ride for Weiss with the Eagles, who are second in the AHL Pacific Division. Last week, Weiss talked to NHL.com about her new duties, working with the Avalanche and more women in hockey.

So what was it like the day McDonald called you into the office to give you the news of your promotion?

“Honestly, it’s an affirmation of the work you put in. That’s what the GM said to me. Last season I had a different head coach (Aaron Schneekloth) and we had a different assistant (Dan Hinote) that both moved onto the NHL, and they both spoke highly of me to our GM in the summer and to our new head coach (Mark Letestu). Getting to know Mark this year and working for him, everything that he had heard of me got confirmed through the first few months of the year.

“I don’t exactly know how the process went about to change the title, but I think he went to Kevin, and I know Kevin said this to me, this line of, ‘You’re doing all the work that the assistant does, so why aren’t we calling you one?’ I’m already on the ice with the team and I run skill skates and scratch skates and present (video). I’m doing everything the assistant coach does; I just had a different title. So I really appreciate them just giving me the opportunity to kind of advance my career and keep doing what I love to do, which is coach hockey.”

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Letestu also had you run one of the practices earlier in the season. How did that come about?

“Every assistant got (that chance). The big thing coming in was, he had been an assistant coach before and he wanted to make sure we all had a voice and a say, and we weren’t just coming onto the ice for practice like, ‘Oh, here we go. Push some pucks. Put my track suit on for 20 minutes, push some pucks and jump off.’ He wanted to make sure we had the platform in front of the players.

“It started with our longest-tenured assistant coach, Tim Branham. It was nothing new or scary for any of us, but just a different dynamic. Not every staff allows their assistants to take full responsibility of a full practice. Then Derek (Army) took it and then the next week I took one.”



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How the Colorado Rockies Are Actually Building Its Opening Day Roster

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How the Colorado Rockies Are Actually Building Its Opening Day Roster


The Colorado Rockies are seeking the right balance and experimenting under their first full-year manager, Warren Schaeffer.

It’s a different Rockies roster compared to last season. There are new faces on the active roster for the start of the 2026 season. Having a team with youth and a mix of veterans can be a successful formula for the Rockies.

Knowing how the elevation affects things in Colorado, the Rockies will see which pitcher can thrive playing in Coors Field. Anything can happen this season.

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The Rockies Must Have A Roster That Can Stay Durable 

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Ryan Feltner | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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A Rotation of Veterans

Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta added several arms over 34, including Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana, and Tomoyuki Sugano.

The fifth starter will be a competitive battle. The Rockies have options in who will win that fifth and final spot. Here is the prediction of the Rockies’ starting rotation:

  • Kyle Freeland
  • Michael Lorenzen
  • Ryan Feltner
  • Jose Quintana
  • Chase Dollander

Ryan Feltner has battled injuries. The 29-year-old suffered back spasms and shoulder injuries, preventing him from performing in 2025. He’s determined to have a breakout season. 

He had a lot of momentum in his final 15 starts of the 2024 season. Feltner posted a 2.75 ERA and finished with a career-high 162 1/3 innings. Feltner has been building his weight-room capacity and getting himself ready for the new season. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and produce.

Flexibility on the Infield

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The Rockies’ acquisition of Willi Castro was a smart move. We know the Rockies’ future at shortstop is Ezequel Tovar. However, the Rockies organization is being cautious. They want to make sure they have an extra body on hand in case something goes south. Castro is a former All-Star and a versatile defender. 

Eduoard Julien is known for playing second base, but he can also play first base if the Rockies need him there. It all depends on many situations and circumstances. Julien is one of the players on the Rockies roster who must prove his worth.

In terms of first base, TJ Rumfield is a front-office option to serve that position. He has the size, length, and youth to play the position. Rumfield is having an impressive start to the spring so far. 

Current Roster and Opening Day Prediction Lineup

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Ezequiel Tovar, SS 
Tyler Freeman, 2B 
Mickey Moniak, DH 
Hunter Goodman, C 
Kyle Karros, 3B
Jordan Beck, RF 
Brenton Doyle, CF
Jake McCarthy, LF
TJ Rumfield, 1B

The lineup can change overnight, and especially in the next few weeks. If, for some reason, Freeman can’t okay second base to start the season, then Castro is the leading man to take the spot. 



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