Please take this environmental justice action!

Please take this environmental justice action!

For years, rural communities have struggled against polluting industries for access to clean air and water. The West Slope is home to many disproportionately impacted communities who bear the brunt of environmental impacts created by heavy industry. Colorado’s Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF) was created to address these inequities, but to truly be effective, they now need our input!

A little background: In late 2021, the Colorado Legislature passed House Bill 1266, the Environmental Justice Act, which established the formation of the EJTF. This body is charged with making legislative and regulatory policy recommendations to address environmental justice inequalities across the state.

Now, the newly-formed EJTF is soliciting comments on their Draft 3 Recommendations from the community. You can download a PDF and Word Document version of the recommendations on the Task Force’s public drive.

The Task Force will receive public comment for 45 days. You need to submit your comments by no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, October 14.

To submit your comments, please email cdphe_ej@state.co.us. You can attach your comments or put them in the body of the email. You may also submit an edited version of the Word Document with suggested edits in track changes.

Or, instead of submitting comments, you can fill out this survey to share your response with the Task Force.

We hope you’ll seize this moment to take action for environmental justice!

About the author

Hanna worked as a geologist in the environmental industry for a decade before shifting her professional focus to community organizing. A huge fan of hiking and camping, she is always happiest outdoors. Her love of nature led to her studies and career in Earth science, but more recently she decided that she could better serve broad environmental interests, such as extractive industry practices, renewable energy, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture, by getting involved with her local community. She is excited for the opportunity to connect with people in Garfield County and help bring the various voices of the community together to create change that benefits all residents and preserves the beautiful Western Slope. In her free time she loves exploring new trails, gardening, and chasing around her two young children.