Governor Signs Bill to Make Historic $15 Million Investment to Help Fossil Fuel Communities Transition to Renewable Energy

DENVER, CO – Today, the governor signed a Colorado Comeback bill into law that aims to support communities transitioning away from fossil fuels. HB21-1290, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, will invest $15 million to help communities shift away from fossil fuels to more renewable sources of energy.

“While clean energy projects are cementing their place in Colorado’s future, it’s on us to make sure traditionally coal dependent communities aren’t left behind,” said Majority Leader Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder). “The Office of Just Transition is taking the lead on supporting fossil fuel dependent communities through the transition to our clean energy future. I’m so proud to sponsor legislation to support the office, as well as the workers and communities it serves.”

Of the $15 million included in the bill, $8 million is dedicated to economic development in specific communities and $7 million is dedicated to workforce initiatives to directly assist coal transition workers and their families.

As our state transitions to renewable energy, we must also make critical investments in the workers and communities whose jobs and livelihoods are impacted as a result of this shift in the energy economy.

In 2019, Democrats in the legislature created the Office of Just Transition to guide communities transitioning from coal toward economic resilience. This bill builds on that progress by providing significant funding for workforce programs, local capacity grants, transition-related economic development grants, and critical infrastructure investments to boost economies that have been dependent on coal.