Lawmakers want to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2050

BY MICHAEL BOOTH AND JESSE PAUL COLORADO SUN

One of the boldest climate change and air pollution bills set for debate in the legislature this year would attempt to eliminate all of Colorado’s carbon emissions by 2050, set tough interim goals for greenhouse gas reduction, and try again for a 30% tax credit for clean electric lawn and garden equipment.

Denver Democratic Sen. Chris Hansen is sponsoring Senate Bill 16, which would also direct the state pension fund to use its shareholder rights to push climate change measures, o cially classify sewageto-heat exchanges as clean energy sources and speed up improvement of transmission lines to boost renewable energy production.

It’s unclear how much support Hansen’s bill will receive from the Polis administration, which at times has been reluctant to add new air pollution provisions a ecting private business beyond those under consideration by the Air Quality Control Commission. “ e governor will review bills as they move through the process,” Polis spokesman Conor Cahill said.

e governor has veto power over bills his administration does not like, but the veto is rarely used. Power dynamics at the Capitol will be tested, with relatively liberal Democrats holding even larger majorities to pass legislation than they did in the 2022 session.

Environmental groups frustrated by the Polis administration’s lack of progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dangerous ozone hailed parts of the bill as doubling down on climate goals they say most Coloradans already support.

“It’s a really important bill,” said Heidi Leathwood, climate policy analyst for 350 Colorado.

Directives to the Public Employees Retirement Association “start the conversation on the state not sinking more of people’s retirement money into fossil fuel projects — investments that don’t t with our climate goals and are already losing money for investors,” Leathwood said. 350 Colorado also supports bumping the 2050 greenhouse gas reduction goal to 100% from the current 90%, in line with international climate science recommendations.

With state o cials acknowledging in late 2022 they were not on schedule to meet 2025 greenhouse gas reductions of 26%, delineating new