Polis jumps into congressional fight over oil shale subsidies

It is a common refrain in this Republican House of Representatives that Congress should not “pick winners and losers” in the energy marketplace. The comment is usually made while debating subsidies for alternative energy. Today, though, Congress may go against the odds to try and pick a winner by voting on a measure that would allocate $25 million to oil shale research and development.

Report: Colorado not prepared for climate change

A shrinking ski season and impaired agriculture industry may be in Colorado’s future, but a new report warns the state’s preparations for climate change are disjointed and not nearly stringent enough.

House Committee approves Lamborn bill to open more land to oil shale exploration

Oil shale isn’t yet commercially viable but on Wednesday the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources passed Rep. Doug Lamborn’s bill to speed up its production in the West anyway.

Congressional dustup over farm dust: A problem the White House says does not exist

A bill that aims to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating farm dust addresses an imaginary problem and could choke critical powers from the Clean Air Act, according to opponents.

Pro snow riders bumming out over GOP’s assault on the EPA and climate science

A trio of professional snow shredders are charging the biggest hill in
Washington, D.C., this week. Their message: Congress is getting too radical on Capitol Hill.

Enviro groups sue over lack of oil and gas air-pollution analysis near Roan Plateau

Conservation groups today filed suit against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for allegedly illegally approving thousands of oil and gas wells on federal land in western Colorado without conducting proper air-pollution analysis.

Udall introduces new ‘Good Samaritan’ water clean-up legislation

U.S. Sen. Mark Udall announced Wednesday that he introduced “Good Samaritan” legislation that would provide legal protection for non-profit and other groups who would cleanup water contamination issuing from abandoned mines across Colorado.

‘Good Samaritan’ legal battle pits greens against greens

In the last 15 years, Washington lawmakers have introduced no fewer than 10 pieces of so-called Good Samaritan legislation– the majority of those laws introduced by Colorado legislators. The legislation is designed to provide legal protection for groups who take it upon themselves to clean up toxic waste. In Colorado, that means cleaning up acid mine drainage.

Why has none of the legislation passed? Good Samaritan groups say the most stringent opponents include major environmental groups with Washington lobbyists.

Wyo. fracking contamination case eerily similar to Colorado’s Divide Creek accident

Louis Meeks says he witnessed shoddy hydraulic fracturing practices on his ranch near Pavillion, Wyo., by an oil and gas company fined for the same thing in Colorado, and wants the federal government to regulate the process because states seem incapable of proper oversight.

How to achieve energy independence? Invest, baby, invest

As reported in the Colorado Independent today, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thinks 32,000 jobs would come to Colorado through a $100 billion government investment in the “greenvolution” (I made that word up, not NRDC, though it does get 338 hits on Google). With all the renewable research already taking place in Colorado I think that number could go way higher, but more importantly an investment in new energy technology would put America on track for continued economic dominance in this next major world industry.

Read more of Jeff’s commentaries:
• Cable news wallows in minutiae, nation suffers
• Obama in Pueblo redux
• Live from the Obama rally in Pueblo
• Obama’s excellent Colorado adventure