Colorado conservation groups laud lawmakers for fending off bids to undercut clean energy

On the final day of the legislative session Wednesday, Colorado’s conservation community praised state lawmakers for staving off a slew of bills aimed at turning back the clock on the Ritter administration’s “New Energy Economy” and also for passing a handful of bills that actually advance the state’s reputation as a leader in clean energy policies.

Colorado conservation groups vow to fight rollbacks, advance clean-energy cause

Colorado conservation groups this legislative session are promising to try and hold the line on environmental gains over the past several years while still advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in what they admit will be a challenging fiscal climate.

Colorado political group Western Tradition linked to nasty Montana race

Debra Bonogofsky, a moderate Republican small businesswoman from Billings, Mont., thought she was a “normal person” until she ran for the Montana State Legislature in June. Then she found out through 11th-hour attack ads, fliers and mailings that she was an anti-gun, pro-abortion, union-backing Barack Obama supporter.

Vail official questions constitutionality of ban on marijuana dispensaries

VAIL – Vail Town Council member Margaret Rogers, an attorney, told the Colorado Independent Monday she doesn’t expect a new Colorado law allowing local governments to ban medical marijuana dispensaries to survive legal challenges.

Ritter’s oil and gas rules one year later

All was relatively quiet on the Western Slope in terms of oil and gas legislation this past session, perhaps reflecting an overall weariness after more than a year of wrangling over the controversial drilling regulations introduced last spring.

Schwartz, Curry crafting ‘Roadkill Bill’ to slow drivers in wildlife-crossing zones

A pair of Western Slope lawmakers wants drivers to slow down dramatically on roads and highways bisecting critical wildlife habitat, promising to introduce a piece of legislation this session that will no doubt become known as the “Roadkill Bill.”

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State Rep. Levy plans bill to clean up electric co-op elections

A Boulder lawmaker says she’ll introduce a bill next session aimed at cleaning up questionable campaign practices in rural electric association (REA) board elections.Claire Levy, D-Boulder, told the Colorado Independent Tuesday she is still working on a draft of the bill she’ll introduce in the upcoming legislative session in January, but she outlined the basics.

State supreme court deals blow to county gas drilling impact fees

Impact fees assessed against equipment used by oil and gas companies in Rio Blanco County – most notably ExxonMobil – took a big hit this week when the Colorado Supreme Court Monday rejected a county request to rehear the case.…

Secretary of State hobbled in battle against clean-elections violators

Voters in Colorado care about clean elections and voted through a ballot initiative specifically to enact laws governing campaign finances in 2002. Lawbreakers have been caught and fined. But that’s apparently where enforcement ends. The list of groups violating the law includes an increasing number that simply skirt the fines judges have levied against them. Secretary of State Bernie Buescher now seems determined to go after the deadbeats, but his office told the Colorado Independent that the law, as it stands now, simply lacks teeth.

Lawmaker Curry looks to improve oil and gas audits

State Rep. Kathleen Curry, a Western Slope Democrat who in the past has spearheaded legislation aimed at the state’s oil and gas industry, told the Colorado Independent recently that she’s not looking to introduce new regulations this session. Instead, she will seek to strengthen the Mineral Audit Program, which is tasked with making sure the industry is paying all of the taxes it owes to Colorado.