Author: Scott Weiser
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Fight over Colorado and Denver building energy standards gains federal attention
The U.S. Department of Justice notified the U.S. District Court in Denver that it is considering filing a Statement of Interest in a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s and Denver’s building energy performance standards on federal preemption grounds. The notice says the federal government has questions about the preemptive scope of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act…
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Grand Junction roundtable spotlights public access while Interior faces scrutiny over targeted land sales
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum joined Bureau of Land Management Director Steve Pearce in Grand Junction Wednesday for a roundtable focused on linking public land access to improved physical activity and public health outcomes. The officials promoted new initiatives including GetActive.gov, a website aimed at…
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Colorado governor signs bill requiring pollution controls, cost reporting for extended coal operations
Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a bill in reaction to orders from the U.S. Department of Energy to keep older coal units online. The federal government’s instructions applied to Craig Unit 1 in Colorado, one of five coal units affected nationwide. The state legislation requires installation of modern pollution controls and cost reporting for…
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RTD reminds customers and community to practice safety near trains
The Regional Transportation District is reminding customers and the public to exercise caution around trains and tracks as the agency increases rail service frequency starting this weekend. The changes include more frequent trains on the B and G lines, an extension of the R Line to RidgeGate Station and a temporary T Line in the…
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Proposal seeks to balance emissions goals with blackout risks in Colorado
A group of researchers is proposing a “social cost of blackouts” framework to balance reliability and energy affordability with emissions reduction goals in electricity planning. The approach, from Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling of Always On Energy Research, would give regulators a tool similar to the federal government’s “social cost of carbon.” That federal metric…
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Downtown rail project hits midblocks and Colfax alignment this week
The Regional Transportation District will begin the next phase of its multi-year downtown rail reconstruction project on Sunday, with street closures in the downtown loop midblocks and along the Colfax Avenue alignment. According to a project update on the downtown rail reconstruction project webpage, the work includes full reconstruction of existing light rail tracks, electrical…
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Xcel summer time-of-use rates begin, officials urge load shifting
The Colorado Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate is urging residential customers to shift heavy electricity use away from evening hours as Xcel Energy’s summer time-of-use rates took effect Monday. The two-tier summer schedule approved by the Public Utilities Commission charges significantly more during peak weekday evenings. For many households, the flat-rate alternative sits at…
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RTD rider satisfaction rises, but overall transit use stagnates
The Regional Transportation District on Monday released its annual customer and community survey results, which show rising satisfaction among bus and rail riders. But critics said those gains mask a deeper disconnect with broader metro Denver and statewide preferences for personal vehicle travel. RTD reported 82% satisfaction among bus customers and 87% among rail customers…
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EPA proposes more flexibility in coal ash rules as Colorado sites face ongoing cleanup
The Valmont power station east of Boulder remains a high-profile example of cleanup challenges at older sites The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to federal coal ash regulations that would give utilities and state authorities more site-specific options for managing the toxic byproducts of coal-burning power plants at disposal sites created prior to federal…
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Colorado utility regulators tackle 911 communications, proposed rate hikes
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission is reviewing proposals to strengthen the state’s 911 emergency communications system, while advancing several major utility rate cases that could raise monthly bills for electric and natural gas customers later this year. Lumen Technologies filed its 2026 Basic Emergency Service Improvement Plan on April 3 in Proceeding No. 26A-0140T. The…