The Colorado House of Representatives on Friday gave initial approval to a bill aimed at cutting air pollution by encouraging Xcel Energy to convert older coal-fired power plants to natural gas.
The Front Range is struggling to meet federal clean-air standards for ozone, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering even tougher standards.
The state also faces a federal deadline for a plan to deal with regional haze.
“If Colorado does not act soon, EPA, the federal government, can step in,” Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, the bill’s sponsor, said during debate.
The bill — backed by Xcel, Gov. Bill Ritter, and Democratic and Republican legislators — is pitting the natural-gas industry, which also supports it, against the mining industry, which opposes it.
“This is a Trojan horse of a bill the governor, Xcel and natural-gas interests are trying to push through the legislature in 10 days,” said Stuart Sanderson, president of the Colorado Mining Association.
The natural-gas industry has lost market share to renewable energy sources and to coal because of Xcel’s new coal-fired Comanche 3 power plant, said Tisha Schuller, president of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association.
“This has a chance to . . . put us where we were a few years ago,” Schuller said.
The bill requires Xcel to develop a plan to limit emissions from older coal-fired power plants, with “primary consideration” to replacing units with cleaner-burning natural gas — although clean-coal technology could be an alternative.
“We don’t want a preconceived outcome eliminating the coal-fired plant option,” said Rep. Kathleen Curry, an unaffiliated lawmaker from Gunnison who has two coal mines in her district.
Xcel’s smaller and older plants, such as Valmont in Boulder, Cherokee in north Denver and Pawnee Brush, are among the likely candidates for overhauls or shutdowns.
The bill’s preference for natural gas drew criticism from legislators during Friday’s debate.
“We are choosing winners and losers,” said Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs.
Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, one of the bill’s sponsors, said they wanted to “alleviate the coal industry’s fears we are trying to drag them into oblivion.”
Mark Jaffe: 303-954-1912 or mjaffe@denverpost.com
