Ashley Stracco ‘29
News Editor
Recently, an energy war has erupted in Colorado over Amendment 82, which is a ballot measure that would ensure a permanent “Right to Natural Gas” directly in the state constitution. This has triggered massive controversy right ahead of the midterms. Supporters of this initiative say that the measure protects low energy bills and consumer choice, while its opponents are calling it a corporate trick to stop clean energy and crush state energy goals.
This week, tensions regarding this issue have heightened as environmental coalitions put out a statement warning that the amendment would derail Colorado’s official target to cut utility emissions by 41% by 2035. Through the process of using a ballot initiative, the corporate supporters are bypassing standard legislative channels and state regulations. This issue has been raising serious questions about the limits of laws that are voter-led and whether or not something commercial belongs in the founding document of a state.
At the core of this issue, the fight is a war over who controls public health and environmental policy. Granting fossil fuel the same legal status as free speech sets a potentially very dangerous precedent that seems to use the Constitution for partisan gain. Here, it is happening through mobilizing conservative voters while also ensuring corporate profits. Rather than creating solutions for a clean energy transition, campaign managers are exploiting voter anxiety over utility bills to grab a short-term victory.
Like most issues, the two sides have responded with fully opposing strategies. Conservative groups such as Advance Colorado have put millions of dollars into aggressive media campaigns that frame the issue around personal freedom. Meanwhile, on the other side of the political spectrum, state Democrats and environmental groups are organizing grassroots resistance. They warn that the vague wording in the amendment could accidentally give local communities issues with safety regulations and building codes. This polarizing issue, among many others of its kind, threatens to shatter public trust, as safety issues should not be used purely as a campaign strategy.
Copy edited by annamaria decamp nov 3
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