Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Colorado's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

colorado

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

Regulation 31: Control of Methane Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

The Air Quality Control Commission adopted a new regulation to reduce methane emissions from landfills, subjecting up to 32 municipal solid waste landfills to stricter controls. Key components of the rule include: a stricter emissions standard than federal rules; requirements for closed landfills to install biofilters; additional methane monitoring with advanced tools like satellites and planes; and a phased ban on open flaring. The state estimates the rule will reduce 12.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050.

Key components of the rule include: a stricter emissions standard than federal rules; requirements for closed landfills to install biofilters; additional methane monitoring with advanced tools like satellites and planes; and a phased ban on open flaring

Colorado Landfill Methane Regulation

methane

Colorado awards $1 million in Energy Efficiency Workforce Training Grants

Colorado’s Energy Office announced $1 million in Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) awards to support heat pump technology training programs for new and existing HVAC technicians. The Energy Office anticipates the program training and upskilling 400 HVAC technicians. Additionally, the grants will support workforce locations without access to such training opportunities or without a qualified HVAC workforce, prioritize rural and resort communities, and address access barriers for learners. 

Colorado's Vital Landscapes and Resources Report

Colorado’s communities are closely tied to clean water, productive agriculture,
wildlife, outdoor recreation, cultural heritage, and open landscapes that sustain both
the economy and quality of life. Rapid growth and increasing pressures on these
resources prompted the passage of SB24-174, which requires local and regional
planning commissions, beginning in 2026, to consider housing needs, strategic growth,
natural and agricultural land conservation opportunities (the “Vital Landscapes and
Resources Report”), and the Colorado Water Plan when updating or amending
comprehensive/master plans.

This Report fulfills the requirements of SB24-174 by identifying interjurisdictional
opportunities that connect to and preserve Colorado’s vital landscapes and resources.
To streamline communications and avoid confusion with the more limited phrase
“natural lands and agricultural interjurisdictional opportunities,” the report will be
referred to as the “Vital Landscapes And Resources Report” or “VLAR” going forward.
This term was adopted with stakeholder input as a succinct, encompassing
alternative. It includes an overview of two resources for local and regional
government entities, a Planning Guide and a Toolbox, two standalone resources to
assist local governments and regional entities in integrating open space and wildlife
habitat preservation and ecosystem connectivity into planning efforts.

HB 21-1266: 2021 Environmental Justice Act (Environmental Justice Disproportionate Impacted Communities)

Enhances Colorado’s work by creating the Environmental Justice Action Task Force within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), an ombuds position at CDPHE to serve as an advocate for disproportionately impacted communities, and a Community Impact Cash Fund to provide grants for environmental mitigation projects in impacted communities. The bill also defines disproportionately impacted communities and requires the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) to engage with disproportionately impacted communities and propose recommendations to the General Assembly to address environmental justice issues. The bill also obligates utilities that own or operate generation to file clean energy plans and directs the AQCC to develop rules to reduce GHG emissions from oil and gas exploration and the industrial sector. The bill also develops the Environmental Justice Grant Program.

Colorado’s Office of Environmental Justice launched a new Environmental Justice Grants Program Dashboard. The dashboard enhances transparency and accessibility, enabling users to explore projects from three grant cycles and visualize the Department of Public Health and Environment’s investments.

Environmental Justice Grant Program Dashboard

Established by the Environmental Justice Act, the Environmental Justice Grant Program funds projects that help measure, prevent, or reduce pollution in disproportionately impacted communities. Funds also can help pay for technical assistance to help community organizations most effectively participate in rulemaking hearings.

Environmental Justice Grant Program

The Environmental Justice Ombudsperson is a new role within CDPHE. It was created by the Environmental Justice Act (House Bill 21-1266).

The Ombudsperson is appointed by the Governor. They report directly to CDPHE Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan. The Ombudsperson receives administrative support from the Environmental Justice Unit, but is otherwise independent.

Environmental Justice Ombudsperson

The Environmental Justice Advisory Board is a volunteer board. The Governor and Executive Director of CDPHE appoint its 12 members.

The Board serves Colorado by:

    Coordinating with the Environmental Justice Ombudsperson.
    Advising CDPHE on best practices for engaging disproportionately impacted communities.
    Responding to environmental justice policy matters referred by the Governor’s Office or CDPHE.
    Creating and overseeing an environmental justice grants program.

Environmental Justice Advisory Board

Directs the AQCC to develop rules to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas industry by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030.

Oil and Gas Industry GHG Emissions Reduction Goal

Directs the AQCC to develop rules to reduce GHG emissions from the industrial sector by at least 20% below 2015 levels by 2030.

Industrial and Manufacturing GHG Emissions Reduction Goal

CO EnviroScreen is Colorado's new bilingual interactive environmental justice mapper. CDPHE developed it in collaboration with Colorado State University. CO Enviroscreen combines 35 environmental, health, and demographic indicators. It visualizes areas in Colorado with higher environmental and socioeconomic burdens. The tool also shows places that meet the legal definition of a Disproportionately Impacted Community.

CO EnviroScreen

Defines 'disproportionally impacted communities'

Disproportionally Impacted Communities Definition

The Environmental Justice Action Task Force (“EJATF” or “Task Force”) was created by the Colorado Environmental Justice (“EJ”) Act. The goal of the Task Force is to propose recommendations to the general assembly regarding practical means to address environmental justice inequities, particularly within DICs. The Task Force was comprised of 22 members, appointed by the Governor and legislative leadership, representing a wide variety of technical expertise and demographics. The Task Force began meeting in December 2021 and held seven full Task Force meetings through November 2022.

Environmental Justice Action Task Force

environmental_justice

SB25-283: Funding Water Conservation Board Projects

The act appropriates the following amounts for the 2025-26 state fiscal year from the Colorado water conservation board (CWCB) construction fund to the CWCB or the division of water resources in the department of natural resources for the following projects:
Continuation of the satellite monitoring system, $380,000;
Continuation of the floodplain map modernization program, $500,000;
Continuation of the weather modification permitting program, $500,000;
Continuation of the Colorado Mesonet project, $200,000;
Continuation of the water forecasting partnership project, $2,000,000;
Continuation of the Arkansas river decision support program, $300,000;
Continuation of technical assistance for the federal irrigation improvement cost-sharing program, $500,000;
Decision support systems model enhancements to support the Colorado water plan, $1,000,000;
Support for the basin implementation plan analysis and updates, $4,500,000;
Continuation of the Colorado watershed restoration and wildfire ready watershed programs, $5,000,000;
Support for a statewide turf analysis, $1,400,000;
Support for the Yampa river and Walton creek confluence restoration project, $2,000,000; and
Support for the south fork focus zone irrigated acreage retirement, $6,000,000.

