Controversial air pollution bill now law in Colorado despite industry opposition

Gov. Jared Polis has signed a invoice that may strengthen Colorado’s policing of air air pollution above what the U.S. Environmental Safety Company presently requires.

The brand new regulation targets 188 pollution the federal authorities acknowledges as hazardous however doesn’t instantly regulate underneath the Clear Air Act. 

The Air High quality Management Fee can be tasked with figuring out the very best precedence contaminants based mostly on their potential threat to public well being and crafting laws to scale back their presence within the air.

The regulation additionally will increase air monitoring across the state and requires corporations to report their annual emissions of sure pollution.

So as to get HB22-1244 handed, its Democratic sponsors did comply with some adjustments, together with solely finding out the feasibility of enacting a brand new program to control polluters as a substitute of requiring the fee to create such a program. A final-minute modification additionally gave the legislature the ultimate say over health-based ambient air high quality requirements for precedence toxins. 

Regardless of these adjustments, state Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, advised CPR Information the plan stays a win for communities of shade most affected by air air pollution. 

“We needed to make concessions alongside the way in which however the well being and security of our youngsters and our communities — once we know company polluters are spewing toxins into the air — it’s value it.”

Opposition to the invoice got here from Xcel Power, Suncor Power — a monetary supporter of CPR Information — and different companies with heavy industrial operations in city areas. After it handed within the waning days of the session, enterprise teams urged Polis to veto it.

The Nationwide Federation for Impartial Enterprise warned the regulation duplicates current EPA laws and can create “litigation landmines” for the state if it fails to enact the regulation totally. 

Along with HB22-1244, Polis additionally signed on to the creation of a variety of grant packages to get industries and native governments to chop their air air pollution. The $124 million package deal will fund issues like voluntary enhancements to industrial, manufacturing and hashish amenities, rebates to assist folks purchase ebikes, packages for varsity districts to modify to electrical buses, and extra aerial surveying of air pollution.

CPR’s Sam Brasch contributed to this story.