The path to homegrown prosperity - Western Colorado Alliance for Community Action

As national politicians debate infrastructure spending bills and how to “build back better,” Colorado has led the nation by creating a first-of-its-kind plan to transition communities dependent on coal generation and mining to a new economic future. In late 2020, the Colorado Final Action Plan for a Just Transition was submitted to the Governor’s office, outlining the beginnings of what will likely be more than a decade’s worth of work to help coal-dependent communities avoid a devastating economic bust. The plan explicitly advocates for a national strategy, citing the interstate and even international nature of the coal industry. But it also provides 12 other ways the state is going to support the switch away from coal.

The Colorado Just Transition Action Plan is the result a year of work facilitated by the newly formed Just Transition Office (a collaboration between the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Local Affairs) and was required by legislation passed in 2019 to help fulfill Colorado’s “moral commitment to assist the workers and communities that have powered Colorado for generations.”

Colorado has seven remaining coal-fired power plants, several of which are in Western Colorado. Most or all are likely to close in the next 10-15 years due to increased competition from lower-priced sources of energy as well as laws and regulations to protect public health and counter climate change. As a result, some of Colorado’s six operating coal mines are likely to close as well. Communities in 11 Colorado counties could be adversely affected, along with between 2,000 and 3,000 Colorado workers and their families.

Some of the proposed actions from the plan include:

Bringing grant-funded programs to coal communities
Helping coal industry workers and their families plan for potential job changes
Creating plans for programs to help workers retrain and find new jobs
Collaborating with utilities and mining companies to help cover the expense of transition

The plan includes many other starting points for policy, economic investment, rural economic diversification, and workforce development. It’s expensive though, with a $100 million price tag that will require federal action to support.

Our Alliance has long worked for responsible mining laws that protect our lands, water quality and landowner rights. We also continue to support policy and practices that limit greenhouse gas emissions and protect our climate. At the same time, we fully recognize that many of our rural Western Colorado communities have been driven by the coal economy for decades and we do not want to leave our neighbors or communities in an economic hole caused by the sudden loss of their economic base. As such, we have supported the creation of the Just Transition Action Plan and will continue to organize to influence its implementation and execution to benefit our Western Slope Communities.

To learn more about the Office of Just Transition and the Action Plan, visit:

https://cdle.colorado.gov/the-office-of-just-transition

About the author

Emily Hornback

Emily stepped up as our staff director in 2017, but originally joined our team as a community organizer in 2013. Born and raised on the Western Slope, Emily graduated from Colorado State University and then had the privilege of learning from and working alongside organizers in Central and South America as well as Appalachian coal country. They returned to their home state to protect the land they love and work with fellow Coloradans for a healthy, just and self-reliant future for our rural communities. Emily enjoys organizing, exploring the Colorado Plateau, country music and punk concerts with equal passion.