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Colorado Legislature Passes Raft of Climate Bills
The Colorado General Assembly finished work on May 8 after a session in which lawmakers sought to protect the state from harmful actions being taken by the Trump administration.
Major legislation costing money generally failed because of the budget shortfall lawmakers needed to plug, but they did manage to pass a number of climate-related bills, including the following:
HB25-1009: Fire protection districts will have more authority to reduce wildfire fuel starting in August. They can require the removal of dead or dry material including pine needles, grass and leaves, from private property. Signed into law by the governor, the law also allows districts to impose fines on property owners who do not comply.
HB25- 1040: After a hard-fought battle, a measure adding nuclear energy to the state’s definitions of clean energy was passed and has been signed into law. Adding nuclear to clean energy such as wind and solar makes the technologies eligible for future special funding opportunities but does not guarantee expensive nuclear projects will be built any time soon.
HB25-1113: This major water conservation bill prohibits local governments, starting in 2028, from allowing nonfunctional turf - like thirsty Kentucky bluegrass- from being installed as part of a new or redeveloped multifamily residential property. The measure would also require local governments to regulate the installation of nonfunctional turf on other residential properties in a way that reduces water use.
HB25-1161 - The bill requires a wholesaler or supplier of a new gas-fueled stove to affix an adhesive label to the stove with the phrase, "UNDERSTAND THE AIR QUALITY IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING AN INDOOR GAS STOVE''.
HB25-1182: Home insurance companies would be required to take into account wildfire mitigation work done by homeowners and communities when calculating a property’s risk of burning in wildland blaze. Insurers would also have to disclose information to the state, as well as homeowners, on how they calculate wildfire risk.
HB25-1292 - The bill encourages placement of transmission lines in appropriate state highway corridors in an effort to speed development of high-capacity corridors to carry renewable energy.
SB25-030- Planning agencies will create an inventory that identifies gaps in transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and make their development a priority in order to cut emissions.
SB25-163 – The bill requires battery producers to join a Battery Stewardship Organization to fund the collection, transportation, processing and recycling of certain batteries. Collection sites will be established that are freely available to all for certain batteries.
SB25- 299: Those selling residential solar-power systems would have to disclose the terms of financing, be truthful about electric bill savings and not make cold-call solicitations between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., under this bill.
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