Senate Gives Preliminary Approval to Pair of Air Quality Improvement Bills to Create a Healthier Colorado
Legislation includes record investments to reduce air pollution and offer free transit services to reduce ground-level ozone
DENVER, CO - The Senate today advanced two bills to build a healthier Colorado through air quality improvements and transit investments, after the Front Range was declared a “severe” violator of federal ozone standards by the EPA.
SB22-193, sponsored by President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) and Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver), would provide funding for several different programs in the transportation and industrial sectors, as well as the Department of Public Health and Environment, to reduce emissions and improve Colorado’s air quality. The bill includes record investments in clean transportation initiatives and air quality monitoring, regulation, and incentives.
“Cleaning up our air and building a healthier Colorado requires all hands on deck,” said Fenberg. “That’s why we’re taking a comprehensive approach to ensure every Coloradan, particularly in communities who have historically borne the brunt of air pollution, can breathe clean air. With transformative investments to reduce industrial emissions, initiatives to clean up our transportation system, and plans to improve air monitoring, we’re putting Colorado on the path to a cleaner future.”
“Every Coloradan deserves safe and healthy air to breathe, but too often we are exposed to dangerous emissions and high ozone levels that threaten our health and hit disadvantaged communities the hardest,” Gonzales said. “This legislation represents an important step toward reducing those harmful emissions and achieving true environmental justice for all.”
SB22-193 includes:
$25 million for the Industrial and Manufacturing Operations Clean Air Grant Program to help private entities, local governments, and public-private partnerships fund projects to reduce emissions of air pollutants, such as beneficial electrification, renewable energy projects, and methane capture.
$65 million for the Electrifying School Buses Grant Program to help school districts and charter schools convert and replace fossil-fuel reliant school buses with electric-powered school buses.
$15 million for the Diesel Truck Emissions Reduction Grant Program to provide grants to private and public entities for decommissioning and replacing diesel trucks.
$12 million for the Community Access to Electric Bicycles Grant and Rebate programs which will ease and accelerate the adoption of electric bicycles by providing businesses, local governments, and individuals discounted e-bikes and easier access to e-bike sharing programs.
$7 million for increased and expanded aerial surveying of pollutants.
The Senate also approved SB22-180, sponsored by Senator Faith Winter (D-Broomfield) and Senator Nick Hinrichsen (D-Pueblo), which would create the Ozone Season Transit Grant Program to provide free transit rides during ozone season.
“Last summer Colorado had the worst air quality in the world, and we must take immediate action to address it,” said Winter. “That’s why I am proud to bring this legislation to reduce local air pollution by offering free transit rides during peak ozone season. This commonsense bill will encourage transit ridership, reduce harmful emissions, and help us further our climate goals while giving Colorado families cleaner, healthier air to breathe.”
“The top emitter of carbon is our transportation sector, and a key way to address it is to increase multimodal options and incentivize ridership on our transit system,” Hinrichsen said. “This initiative will increase access to public transportation while reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted during peak ozone season – an important step we must take to build a healthier Colorado for all and move our state forward.”
SB22-180 will also create a transit services pilot project in the Department of Transportation to increase ridership on state-run transit services, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and reduce ground-level ozone.
The Senate will give final approval to both bills in the coming days. Track the progress of SB22-193 HERE and SB22-180 HERE.