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 7: Control of Emissions from Oil and Gas Emissions Operations (2026 Amendment)

In its September 2026 meeting, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission adopted revisions to Regulation 7,  revising requirements for enclosed combustion devices, closed vent systems, and vapor recovery units.

This rulemaking was the last planned proposal of three separate hearings to update Regulation 7, and it completed the state’s alignment with federal requirements for oil and gas operations. The commission also approved the state’s drafted plan for how Colorado will incorporate rules from EPA guidelines.

By 2029, the CDPHE Air Pollution Control Divisions estimates the revisions to Regulation 7 will phase out nearly 94,000 pneumatic controllers, which emit almost 16,000 metric tons of methane annually. This reduction matches the greenhouse gas impact of taking 104,000 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road. The updates will also cut thousands of tons of volatile organic compounds each year, reducing ground-level ozone pollution. 

The division forecasts these proactive measures will help Colorado avoid approximately $42 million in climate change-related costs by 2029. 

In a series of three rulemaking hearings beginning in February 2025, the commission updated Reg. 7 to meet federal guidelines and create a regulatory framework that further reduces methane emissions from oil and gas operations. The following key changes will drive methane emissions reductions: 

- Pneumatic device phase-out: The state established a progressive timeline to phase out natural gas-driven controllers and pumps by March 2029. These pneumatic devices can release natural gas, or methane, into the air, especially if the device malfunctions. Facilities operating in disproportionately impacted communities within ground-level ozone nonattainment areas have an accelerated phase-out timeline of May 2027. 
- Compressor emissions control: New standards set control and repair requirements for compressors, and allow operators to control emissions by routing gas to control devices. These requirements reduce emissions vented to the atmosphere.
- Increased inspections: Updated rules require more frequent equipment inspections, enabling operators to detect and repair leaks much sooner.
- Associated gas recovery: Associated gas is the natural gas separated from oil during production. New standards require certain sources of associated gas to capture it instead of burning it when its methane content is above a threshold. 

Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 7

methane

Key Natural Resources, Outdoor Access and Wildlife Management Legislation Advanced in 2026 Session

This year Governor Polis signed a wide-ranging portfolio of legislation focused on expanding outdoor access, improving human and bear interactions, and funding key water and conservation projects across the state. Enacted legislation appropriates funding for water projects across the state that protect natural resources and support the implementation of Colorado’s Water Plan, including $380,000 to continue satellite snowpack monitoring, $2.5 million to continue critical weather forecasting efforts, and $5 million for watershed restoration and flood mitigation projects. The state also authorized nearly $38 million to support grants that will help implement the state water plan and created an optional $5 vehicle registration fee to support wildlife safe road passage, connectivity, and conservation efforts.

CPRG Implementation Grant: Colorado Decarbonization Accelerator

The State of Colorado Energy Office received over $129 million in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program Implementation Funds to support implementation of the following emissions reduction measures:

- Methane Emissions Monitoring and Reduction: Will create a methane emissions detection and response program, support methane emissions reduction pilot projects, and identify regulatory mechanisms to further reduce methane emissions from landfills and coal mines.
- Large Building Decarbonization: Will offer subawards to fund projects for buildings covered by the state Benchmarking and Building Performance standards program that reduce emissions before or beyond regulatory requirements.
- Local Government Climate Action Accelerator: Will offer subawards to local governments for measures that have significant GHG emissions reduction potential and are best-suited for local government implementation. Subawards will provide funding for technical assistance to support policy adoption, as well as equity-focused incentive funding for project implementation.

This reimbursement fund provides about $14 million through 2029 to help landfill operators reduce methane emissions faster than required under Regulation 31. The division will accept applications until Dec. 1, 2026, and plans to announce funding selections in January 2027.

Eligible projects include those required to meet Regulation 31 standards, such as:
    Installing a Gas Collection and Control System (GCCS).
    Enhancing or optimizing gas collection of an existing GCCS. 
    Replacing an open flare with an enclosed flare. 
    Completing any necessary design plans. 
    Developing permits for enclosed flares or GCCS.

Landfill Methane Mitigation Grant Program

SB26-141 Wildlife Collision Prevention

This legislation supports wildlife safe passage projects such as overpasses, underpasses and fencing designed to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity. It is funded through the creation of a new optional $5 fee, beginning January 1, 2027, that motorists may choose to pay when registering a vehicle. 75% of the revenue will fund projects administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation, while 25% will support Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s wildlife connectivity and conservation efforts. The bill also seeks to align the process for the new optional fee with the existing optional Keep Colorado Wild Pass to ensure a clear annual option for registrants.