Rally targets greenhouse gases

Gov. Ritter asked to set standards for less pollution

Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 23, 2007 at midnight

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A newly formed environmental coalition converged west of the state Capitol on Sunday to call on Gov. Bill Ritter to join other states in embracing standards limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Organized to capitalize upon Earth Day, members of the Colorado Climate Action Network praised Ritter's environmental record but said he could do more to fight global warming.

Coalition members asked that Ritter commit to reduce the state's global-warming pollutants to below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

The science-backed targets mirror pollution-reduction goals adopted last year by New Mexico and Arizona, they said.

"We are asking for bold action on the environmental issue of our generation," said Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain regional director for the group Environmental Defense.

"We are not here to cry and wring our hands. We are asking Coloradans and elected officials to do what they can to combat global warming in Colorado."

Failure to take action means Colorado's ski industry, farms and economy will suffer, he said.

Ritter's spokesman Evan Dreyer said the governor is committed to addressing climate change and recently hired the state's first climate change adviser.

In just over three months in office, Ritter's administration has also doubled Colorado's renewable energy portfolio, made it easier for utility companies to build wind-power transmission lines and set goals to reduce use of energy, water, petroleum products and paper by state government.

But Dreyer said it was premature to comment on specific strategies, such as targeted goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The coalition calling for the reductions includes the Aspen Skiing Co., which is concerned about decreasing snowpack caused by climate change, and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, which has its eye on the potential for more crop-killing drought.

David Dittloff, regional representative of the National Wildlife Federation, said the future of duck hunting and cold water fishing could be imperiled.

Dittloff said wildfires and pine beetles could become even more devastating because of warming temperatures. And prime fowl hunting locations, such as wetlands, could dry up.

Matt Baker, executive director of Environment Colorado, said the answers are obvious and don't require too much sacrifice.

"It's not rocket science," Baker said. "This is not, 'Let's go live in caves.' "

poppenj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5176

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