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Tag: Regulation

Colorado regulators seeking steep increases in permitting fees for air pollutants
State, The Sum & Substance

Colorado regulators seeking steep increases in permitting fees for air pollutants

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado regulators want to raise fees by as much as 67% on air-pollutant emissions and the permits that are required for them — a price hike that industry leaders hope will result in faster permitting. The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission voted last month to set an April rulemaking hearing to consider the fee increases and new rules around the reporting of emissions. If approved, four separate fee hikes — meant to cover the costs of permitting, monitoring and enforcement — would go into place between June 2025 and early 2026. These increases will be debated as part of a trio of hearings in the new year focused on increasing regulations around air toxic contaminants, as prescribed in a 2022 law. The AQCC will identify five air toxins...
Colorado is 6th most regulated state in America, chamber report says
denvergazette.com, State

Colorado is 6th most regulated state in America, chamber report says

By Marissa Ventrelli and Luige del Puerto | Denver Gazette Colorado is the sixth-most regulated state in the country and nearly half of its roughly 200,000 regulations are "excessive or duplicative," a finding that poses negative ramifications on economic growth, on productivity and, ultimately, on residents, according to a new study from the state's chamber of commerce. The study commissioned by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce is the latest report to examine the state's regulatory environment and to argue that the regulations lead to job losses associated with compliance costs and lost sales. The chamber released its study following another report showing that Colorado has slipped behind other states in terms of economic strength and that its economy is proje...
In one of most regulated states, Colorado chamber calls for reform as business rankings decline
KOAA News, State

In one of most regulated states, Colorado chamber calls for reform as business rankings decline

By Brett Forrest | KOAA-TV NBC 5 The Colorado Chamber of Commerce is calling for regulatory reform as their latest Colorado Scorecard showed the state declining in several key business metrics. Loren Furman, the president and CEO of the Colorado Chamber, said they hired a group of economists from outside the state to examine the data. “The data that they came back with was pretty shocking. What they found is that Colorado is the sixth most regulated state in the nation,” said Furman. “We have over 165,000 regulations implemented through law. And 45% of those regulations are deemed excessive or duplicative.” READ THE FULL STORY AT KOAA-TV NBC 5.
Linnebur: A look at Sackett v EPA’s rechanneling of water governance in America
Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Linnebur: A look at Sackett v EPA’s rechanneling of water governance in America

By Tyler Linnebur | Commentary, ConservAmerica A year has passed since the Supreme Court's ruling in Sackett v. EPA and its impact on America's water regulation is unmistakable. For decades, Western states have grappled with the complexities of water rights and regulations, given the resource's immense value and critical importance to the region. This landmark decision, which narrows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE’s) authority and shifts more responsibility to the states, has triggered significant changes in both the ongoing debate and the ways states protect their water resources. By clarifying the constitutionally limited scope of federal authority, the Sackett ruling aligns with Congress's original intent to reg...
Colorado short-term rental owners, advocates rally against “heavy-handed regulation” from lawmakers
State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado short-term rental owners, advocates rally against “heavy-handed regulation” from lawmakers

By Jason Blevins | Colorado Sun After several years of work to combat state legislation that would increase regulations and taxation on short-term rentals, owners are actively lobbying policymakers. Colorado is the birthplace of short-term rentals. And the state is ground-zero for local regulation of the booming industry. After several years of reactive, defensive responses to increased regulation and taxation legislation, the state’s short-term rental owners and managers are organizing with an educational campaign and lawmaker lobbying plans. Colorado House Speaker Rep. Julie McCluskie, a Democrat from Dillon, earlier this month warned that short-term rental legislation “is highly likely” in either the special session or next year’s session.  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO SU...
Colorado’s oil & gas industry faces more regulation with emissions-cutting rules
State, The Sum & Substance

Colorado’s oil & gas industry faces more regulation with emissions-cutting rules

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado officials are advancing rules to cut carbon emissions in yet another sector — this time in the midstream sector of the oil and gas industry, a battleground area in which both industry and environmental leaders worry already about the proposed regulations. The midstream sector is comprised of the pipelines and facilities that transport natural gas from wells to the transmission companies that distribute it to power plants and homes. A key part of the sector — which is made up in Colorado of three major players and a couple dozen smaller companies — is the compression plants that keep the gas moving down long pipelines to its destinations. As part of efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030, state officials have put rules i...
Linnebur: In the battle of flames and bureaucracy, these are streamlining solutions for Colorado’s wildfire crisis
Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Linnebur: In the battle of flames and bureaucracy, these are streamlining solutions for Colorado’s wildfire crisis

By Tyler Linnebur | ConservAmerica On Tuesday, July 30, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis declared disaster emergencies for multiple wildfires and activated the state emergency operations plan. These major fires, fueled by extreme heat and dry conditions, are raging across thousands of acres near Loveland, Lyons, and Jefferson County. Tragically, at least one person has died, and multiple homes have been destroyed.  This devastating scenario has become increasingly common in recent years because of drought, poor forest management\ and ineffective environmental policies. Massive fires cause extensive property damage, force evacuations and degrade air quality. The ecological toll is significant, destroying wildlife habitats and damaging watersheds. Several factors contribute to the severi...