Industry Groups Touted Gas as a “Constitutional Right.” These Voters Weren’t Having It.
When Coloradans voted last week to reject an amendment that would have enshrined a right to natural gas in their state constitution, they also rebuffed a legal maneuver by a dark money group to keep Colorado reliant on deceptively dirty natural gas. Amendment 82, a ballot initiative sponsored by one such group, would have codified […]
Colorado voters recently rejected an amendment that would have legally recognized gas as a "constitutional right". The measure, sponsored by a secretive dark money group, aimed to protect the fossil fuel industry's ability to sell natural gas. The rejection was a significant blow to an industry supported by the Trump administration, which is now at odds with Colorado's climate goals.
Amendment 82 would have allowed gas companies to challenge policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The group behind the initiative, Advance Colorado, has been accused of hiding its true funders. The ballot measure's defeat highlights the growing tension between fossil fuel interests and state efforts to combat climate change.
Colorado has committed to zero net emissions by mid-century and has heavily invested in renewable energy. The industry's move to push for a constitutional gas right reflects a broader nationwide trend, with 26 states having passed "fuel choice" laws that prevent local governments from restricting gas services.
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