Legislative Session – Part 2
The second half of the legislative session kicked off Monday, March 4. The session is limited by the Colorado Constitution to 120 consecutive days, thus with the early start on January 4 the second 60-day period started this week. Consistent with everything we had heard, the really controversial bills will mostly arrive between now and...
House Bill 1037 would let electric companies recoup money spent to build the plants while funding economic impact grants to towns losing jobs along the way
Word that the local coal mine and power plant it served were closing went off like a bomb in Nucla — they were the community’s main employers and taxpayers in the tiny town southwest...
CDPHE/State Issues
Monthly Bulletin
February Bulletin | WQCC Meeting
The WQCC reviewed a draft resolution regarding Good Samaritan legislation. Details of the legislation are not provided. Also, the WQCC drafted and approved a letter to ATSDR regarding the toxicological profile for molybdenum. No mining related permits or violations issues (one sand and gravel).
Water Quality Forum
Legislative: Provided summary of HB-1113
WQCC: Discussed the use...
A Colorado House bill that officials say incentivizes the closure of coal-fired power plants like the one in Craig passed a key legislative hurdle on Monday, Feb. 11.
HB19-1037 — the Colorado Energy Impact Assistance Act — was sponsored by State Rep. Chris Hansen (D-Denver) and introduced Jan. 4. According to the Colorado General Assembly's website, the bill seeks to...
CDPHE / STATE ISSUES
Monthly Bulletin
January Bulletin | WQCC Meeting
Discussed annual reports from DRMS, SEO, Oil and Gas, and Hazardous Waste (SB 181).
DRMS annual report discusses groundwater protection measures in mineral and coal mining permits. Short summaries are provided for each active operation. Provides statistics on number of inspections conducted. Lists AML projects that were assessed or reclaimed.
Discussed revisions to...
The CMA Government Affairs Committee meets weekly most Mondays during the Colorado legislative session. Chaired by Jim Sanderson, CMA's Vice Chair of Governmental Affairs, the Committee reviews legislation and discusses the strategy CMA will execute at the capitol when communicating the mining industry's view to policy makers.
The Committee's charge is complicated as Democrats now control Executive and Legislative branches....
DRMS Update—Ginny Brannon, Division Director, Jim Stark (Coal) and Russ Means (Hardrock).
Dan Gibbs is new Executive Director of the Division of Natural Resources
Coal
Not currently affected by government shutdown
Mentioned a coal mine methane working group
MLRB approved West Elk Mine Plan, Foidel Creek mine plan amendment
Will present reclamation awards recommendations to MLRB this month
No updates to...
Friends of Dinosaur Ridge have opened a new attraction on the west side of Dinosaur Ridge in Lakewood, Colorado. It is a Discovery Center which shows natural science aspects of the area and has educational material for children (of all ages). The Colorado Mining Exhibit Foundation helped sponsor of this family friendly venue with displays on economic geology of...
Enrollment now open for CMAEF’s 2019 All About Mining Summer Course for K-12 Teachers
As we look forward to the new year, we at the Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation are excited about the upcoming 2019 teachers’ course and all of the new teachers it brings into our traveling classroom. This year’s course dates will be June 13-21. If you...