Governor Jared Polis recently threatened to veto SB21-200:  Reduce Greenhouse Gases Increase Environmental Justice, which would require the Colorado Air Quality Commission to move more quickly toward putting rules in place to meet Colorado’s GHG emissions reduction goals.  Please send Polis a message telling him not to get in the way of passing this important legislation.  A sample message, contact information, and a link to a Colorado Sun article on Polis’ veto threat follow:

  1. Sample message (please personalize)

Subject: Please do not veto SB21-200

Dear Governor Polis:

I was shocked by your recent threat to veto SB21-200: Reduce Greenhouse Gases Increase Environmental Justice.”  This bill, while not perfect, would help ensure that Colorado does its part to address the climate crisis by meeting its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals for 2025 and 2030.

Your claim that the bill would give “dictatorial authority over our economy to one unelected board” rings hollow for several reasons.  First, the board you referred to, the Air Quality Control Commission, was given rulemaking authority concerning GHGs in a bill passed by the General Assembly and signed by you two years ago.  Second, commission members are appointed by you and approved by the State Senate.  And third, the rulemaking process is open to all state residents, who broadly support taking action on the climate crisis.

Achieving 26% GHG emissions reductions by 2025 and then 50% reductions by 2030 is doable, but will require a serious effort by all Coloradans.  SB21-200 will help us succeed in this task.  Please do not obstruct passage of this important legislation.

2. Contact information: To send a message to Governor Polis, use the contact form available on his website here: https://www.colorado.gov/governor/share-comments.

3. For more background on the Governor’s veto threat, see this Colorado Sun article: https://coloradosun.com/2021/04/28/senate-bill-200-jared-polis-veto-threat/.