Colorado
How Colorado’s elected officials reacted to President Donald Trump’s inauguration
When President Donald Trump was sworn in for his return to office Monday for a second term, it was a historic moment for the country — and a relatively muted one for much of Colorado’s highest profile politicians.
Some Colorado Democrats were uncharacteristically silent on the event and what Trump said from the U.S. Capitol.
Here’s a roundup of notable public comments by Colorado officials:
Gov. Jared Polis, who attended the inauguration as the chair of the National Governor’s Association, reiterated a weekend statement in an X post Monday: “The relationship between states and the federal government is critical to getting things done and delivering for Americans, and I look forward to making sure that the voice of the Governors and the states is heard in Washington D.C.”
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, the Republican congresswoman for eastern Colorado in the 4th Congressional District, tweeted “Daddy’s home!!” paired with Time Magazine’s recent cover illustration showing Trump back at the desk in the Oval Office. In a follow-up statement, she said Trump’s inauguration “marks the start of a new, magnificent era for America.”
“Coloradans should know that President Trump and Vice President Vance will put their interests first and I am thrilled to work with them to enact an agenda that prioritizes the 4th District’s needs,” she wrote. “We will unleash our oil & gas producers to make America energy dominant, secure our Southern border to protect our families from crime and fentanyl, and get our ranchers, farmers, and Colorado’s agriculture community the support they need to continue feeding families across our state and country.”
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat who represents the 7th Congressional District in the center of the state, quoted former President Joe Biden in her own X post: “You can’t love your country only when you win.”
“While this is far from what we wanted to see, I will still try to work with the new administration when possible,” she wrote. “However, I am also ready for the fight ahead to protect our freedoms, our democracy, and increase opportunity for working people.”
U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, the Republican newly elected to the Colorado Springs-centered 5th Congressional District, posted a photo from the Capitol and added, “Let’s make America great again!” Fellow Republican newcomer U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, from northern Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, also posted a photo from the ceremony and said he was “so honored to be a part of a historic day for our country.”
Colorado’s third newly elected Republican, U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd of the Western Slope, wrote: “It was an honor to be a part of the peaceful transfer of power and to celebrate our Constitution and American democracy. Congratulations to (Trump). I am eager to work together and deliver for (the 3rd District). Republicans are ready to get to work!”
In a statement published on his website, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jason Crow — who represents Aurora — called on Trump to work with Democrats to address the cost of housing, food and gas.
“Donald Trump won the election and is our new President,” he wrote. “… I have always made it my priority to get results for Coloradans. With President Trump taking office, I will work to find common ground with President Trump to meet our country’s challenges. I’ll also not be afraid to continue speaking up on issues that matter most to Colorado.”
In a post on X, the Colorado Democratic Party wrote that Trump’s victory “was not the result that many of us worked for, and this is going to be a difficult day for many as we watch Donald Trump and his cabinet of billionaires prepare to take our country backward.”
“The many challenges facing Colorado, our country, and the world call for leadership that can rise to the moment, bridge our divides, and work toward the betterment of all,” the party wrote. “That said, we all know Trump’s track record from his first time, what he campaigned for, and we have the receipts to show how unlikely it is that regular working people will benefit from his presidency. If this is anything like last time, the rich will get richer while the rest of us struggle to get by.”
As of 2:30 p.m., the Colorado Republican Party and neither of Colorado’s U.S. senators, John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, had appeared to make any public remarks about the inauguration.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
Originally Published:
Colorado
New law seeks to help Colorado counties comply with state landfill emission rules, avoid major spike in trash fees
A new law signed by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis seeks to help county landfills comply with state emission-reduction requirements without having to dramatically increase trash fees.
Senate Bill 101 allows landfill owners to apply for grant money to help pay for new methane capture and monitoring infrastructure. It was signed by Polis on May 21.
The measure came in response to concerns from rural county officials who said complying with the new mandates would mean potentially having to hike trash collection fees, commonly called tipping fees, to help cover the costs.
“I think we have a responsibility as a state to control methane and keep our air clean and do what we can to combat climate change,” state Sen. Dylan Roberts, a Frisco Democrat and one of the bill’s lead sponsors, said during a legislative hearing in April. “The reality on the ground is that counties have to grapple with the costs of that.”
Under rules passed last year by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, public and private landfills that meet certain thresholds for methane emissions must install new pollutant control and monitoring systems, end open flare burning of methane and be equipped with biofilters.
Landfills are the third-largest emitter of methane in Colorado, according to state data, and the second-largest driver of climate change after carbon dioxide. While methane has a shorter lifespan than carbon dioxide, it is also more potent, with a warming effect that is 86 times stronger than carbon dioxide over a 20–year-period, according to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
The new rules go into effect in 2029, though some landfills have up to three years after that to install the emission capture and monitoring technology.
Mountain counties with publicly-owned landfills estimate the costs of installing new equipment alone will be in the millions. In Garfield County, officials project the upfront cost of new equipment and technology could be around $2 million to $2.5 million. In Summit County, costs are projected to be around $3 million, while in Pitkin County, officials are estimating about $3.5 million.
Under the newly-signed bill, counties will be able to apply for funding from the state’s community impact cash fund, which primarily goes toward environmental projects in communities affected by air pollution.
The bill does not stipulate how much funding will be made available from the fund for landfill projects, but it does require the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to prioritize funding for publicly-owned landfills over private ones. Last year, the fund was estimated to have around $9 million, though about $5 million was diverted to the state’s general fund for the upcoming fiscal year’s budget to help close a roughly $1 billion spending gap.
Kelly Flenniken, executive director for Colorado Counties, Inc., a nonprofit representing all 64 of the state’s counties, said she hopes the opportunity for new state funding will help mitigate the need for local governments to raise trash fees. But she added it won’t be a complete solution.
“Some counties, depending on how big their landfill is and what the estimate was for that equipment, still may need to raise some fees,” Flenniken said, noting that counties will also be in competition with one another for funding.
Supporters of the bill had initially hoped to go further by giving counties more leeway when it came to complying with the new methane rules. Initially, the bill would have created a waiver process for landfill owners to request more time for compliance and would have shielded landfills from penalties for noncompliance if they could show that the reason was purely due to financial inability.
Those provisions were stripped after facing pushback from environmental groups, who felt the original bill would allow landfill owners to skirt the state’s clean air rules and could jeopardize climate goals.
“It’s not necessarily the pinnacle solution we were hoping for, but we do feel like it will certainly offset (costs) in a tremendous way that will help Coloradans not have to pay a lot more to dispose of their trash properly,” Flenniken said of the bill’s final version. “I don’t think it solves the whole problem, but I do think it helps.”
The Colorado Buffaloes added two four-star recruits in the course of two days. Offensive tackle Li’Marcus Jones and wide receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray committed to the Buffs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, per On3. The site also lists both as four-star recruits
With these major additions to their 2027 class, the Buffaloes now sit much higher in both the national and Big 12 recruiting rankings. Per On3, Colorado has the No. 2 recruiting class in the Big 12 and the No. 38 class nationally.
How the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2027 Recruiting Class Stacks Up Against the Big 12
With the additions of Jones, Kelly-Murray and underrated cornerback Prince Washington, the Buffaloes reached the top five of the Big 12 in recruiting rankings. The Buffaloes rank second in the Big 12 per On3 and fourth per 247Sports. The former gives the Buffaloes a class rating of 86.412, only trailing the Texas Tech Raiders’ class, which is rated a 93.413.
Colorado is tied with the Red Raiders with nine total recruits, a total that ranks third in the Big 12. The primary difference between the two classes is the Red Raiders’ two top recruits, who are among the best overall prospects in the nation. Those players are five-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster, who is On3’s top-rated player nationally, and five-star edge rusher Anthony Sweeney.
The reputation Texas Tech has built for its ability to develop premier pass rushers is what makes it such a draw for these high-end recruits. Colorado has been pursuing pass rushers in its own right, adding Ba’Roc Willis and Kenny Fairley, both of whom are listed as three-star recruits by On3.
But Texas Tech freshly sent edge rusher David Bailey to the NFL after developing him from a decent contributor in the pass rush to a dominant force in just one year as a Red Raider. Still, despite that reputation, Colorado has been competitive with Texas Tech on the recruiting trail and is hot on its tail after an eventful week of commitments.
The Colorado Buffaloes’ National Recruiting Rankings Climb
The Buffaloes also saw a major jump in the national rankings, entering the top 40 of both On3 and 247Sports’ rankings. The former has the Buffs listed as having the No. 38 recruiting class nationally, whereas the latter ranks them 35th in the country.
Colorado has come a long way since mid-May, when it held a sub-top-50 recruiting class in both sites’ rankings.
How the Colorado Buffaloes Generated a Burst of Recruiting Commitments
That climb was no coincidence, though. Colorado held a major recruiting weekend from May 15 through May 17. It hosted four four-star recruits and several additional recruits with three-star and below ratings on official visits during that stretch, according to LockedOnBuffs.
Jones and Willis were among those in attendance, in addition to safety/quarterback Gabe Jenkins. The two-way player is a four-star recruit according to both On3 and 247Sports, with the former announcing his commitment on May 20.
Deion Sanders and his staff are ahead of the curve when it comes to their 2027 class, and as the summer rolls along, the Buffs will look to climb even higher in the national rankings.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Rhode Island4 minutes agoMcKee elevates R.I.’s top cannabis administrator as his nominee to chair regulatory commission – The Boston Globe
-
South-Carolina10 minutes agoSouth Carolina Research Authority announces funding opportunity for rural healthcare tech startups
-
South Dakota16 minutes agoSouth Dakota mom launches book drive for foster children
-
Tennessee22 minutes agoTennessee man sentenced to 30 years for sexually exploiting 14-year-old girl in Colombia
-
Texas28 minutes agoGarland mural celebrates history of The Flats
-
Utah34 minutes agoRep. Maloy honors the Utah soldiers behind Korean War ‘miracle’ on 75th anniversary
-
Vermont40 minutes agoAs Vermont legislative session stretches on, adjournment is a moving target – VTDigger
-
Virginia46 minutes agoHitachi Energy contacts Virginia DEQ after dealing with small oil spill
