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If you’re not at the table: Why Matt Soper says counties need leverage now
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

If you’re not at the table: Why Matt Soper says counties need leverage now

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Unfunded mandates have become a flashpoint between Denver and Colorado’s counties, with local governments warning they are being asked to do more with less. State Rep. Matt Soper has been vocal in support of counties banding together through the Fix It or Fund It coalition.  He represents Delta and Mesa counties in the Colorado House and is serving his fourth term, with term limits preventing another run. The Delta County commissioner seat he is pursuing is also opening due to term limits. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent Delta and Mesa Counties in the Colorado House of Representatives,” Soper said in a campaign announcement. “As the pressures from Denver spill over into Delta County, it is important t...
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New Colorado Emissions Law Expected to Push Furnace Prices Up 40% or More
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Approved, kdvr.com, State

New Colorado Emissions Law Expected to Push Furnace Prices Up 40% or More

By Ashley Michels | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — HVAC experts are warning about a significant price increase in the cost of new furnaces and water heaters in 2026. On Jan. 1, a new law went into effect in Colorado tightening the emissions standards on gas furnaces and water heaters. Units manufactured beginning Jan. 1, 2026 must meet Ultra Low Nox (ULN) or Energy Star ratings in order to be sold and installed in Colorado. The law does not require Coloradans to immediately replace their existing furnaces and water heaters with upgraded equipment. However, when it comes time to purchase replacements, they must meet the new standards. The change is meant to improve air quality in Colorado, cut down on pollution and help lower utility bills. However, experts expect u...
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The highway rule few Coloradans know is steering road projects
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ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, State

The highway rule few Coloradans know is steering road projects

By Scott James | Commentary, Scott K. James Colorado’s GHG rule quietly reshaped every major highway decision, forcing climate math over real-world mobility. Part 2 exposes how it happened Yesterday, in Part 1, we traced how Colorado got quietly rewired: from voters rejecting Prop 112… to SB19-181 passing anyway… to statewide GHG targets… to “roadmaps” that turned climate goals into marching orders… to SB21-260, welding transportation funding to climate policy. Today isn’t about another bill. Today is about one rule – written in the middle of COVID, on glitchy Zoom calls and muted microphones – that quietly changed how every major transportation decision in Colorado gets made: The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Transportation Planning St...
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Study Shows Electricity Costs Rising Fastest in States Pushing Green Mandates
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Just The News, Approved, National

Study Shows Electricity Costs Rising Fastest in States Pushing Green Mandates

By Kevin Killough | Just The News As Trump kicks off his affordability tour, new analyses show that states with renewable energy mandates have higher electricity rates than states without. President Donald Trump kicked off an affordability tour in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, and among the concerns he’s discussing at the events is the cost of energy.  It’s a big concern for Americans. A recent poll conducted by Ipsos, a marketing research and consulting firm, found that 73% of U.S. residents were concerned about increases in their electricity and gas bills this year.  A new analysis by Always On Energy Research and the Institute for Energy Research shows that residents of blue states see higher electricit...
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Colorado’s Economy Loses Its Edge as Costs and Regulations Rise
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado’s Economy Loses Its Edge as Costs and Regulations Rise

By: Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics Editor’s Note: Once among the nation’s fastest-growing economies, Colorado today confronts mounting challenges that threaten its momentum. This series reveals how a state once defined by prosperity is navigating economic cliffs and ridges. We explore the impact of increased regulations, tariffs, shifting tax policies, the high cost of living and widening urban–rural divides have on businesses, workers, and communities. The series also highlights the push to leverage Colorado’s outdoor economy — one of its most valuable assets — for renewed growth, while working to attract industries like quantum and aerospace while capitalizing on unique industries that call Colorado home. After taking office seven years ago, Gov. Jared Polis set an imm...
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Colorado Supreme Court Reins In Local Authority Over Noise Permits
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The Gazette, Approved, State

Colorado Supreme Court Reins In Local Authority Over Noise Permits

By Michael Karlik | The Gazette The Colorado Supreme Court concluded on Monday that the state’s noise pollution law does not allow local governments to categorically permit any entity to host events on private property that exceed the statewide decibel limits. The question had divided the state’s Court of Appeals, with one appellate panel deciding localities possess broad permitting power for private property, and another deciding months later that they do not. Breaking the tie, the Supreme Court acknowledged the language of the law is ambiguous. But taking account of lawmakers’ stated goals, the justices concluded the legislature intended to allow local governments, on property they use, to permit others to exceed statewide noise limits for cultural or entertainment events. “N...
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Air-quality politics put Denver first and rural Colorado last
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Colorado Politics, Approved, Commentary, State

Air-quality politics put Denver first and rural Colorado last

By Tony Olivero | Commentary, Colorado Politics  As former rural lawmakers, we’re no strangers to the state trying to squeeze us into the same box as the Front Range. But Colorado’s latest regulations take things to a new level: not only are they completely unworkable for our communities, but the rules also reveal a hypocritical double standard that puts rural Colorado last. Starting on Wednesday, Colorado’s air quality commission is holding hearings on their roll out of Regulation 31, a mandate that forces even the smallest landfills to install costly methane capture systems, regardless of whether those systems make scientific, environmental, or economic sense.   The process to get here was rushed and the new rules lack clear written implementation procedures and ignore...
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Barstnar and Milo: Energy mandates are making Colorado unaffordable
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denvergazette.com, State

Barstnar and Milo: Energy mandates are making Colorado unaffordable

By Kathie Barstnar and Tony Milo | Commentary, Denver Gazette Progress should not come at the expense of affordability. As Colorado moves toward a lower-carbon future, families and businesses deserve energy options that are reliable, cost-effective, and reflect their needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Choice and balance should guide this transition, not rising bills and reduced options. As organizations working to meet Colorado’s growing housing and economic development needs, we see firsthand how rising construction costs and added building requirements are making it harder to deliver buildings and homes that small businesses and working families can afford. The housing affordability crisis is getting worse, and we must implement policies that support Coloradans working to mak...
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