Roger Wilson for Colorado
House District 61

Environmental Issues in Colorado

Conservation and environmental protection issues are at the top of my list. These issues affect the quality of life, the quality of what it means to live in Colorado, and the basis of our tourist industry. I believe we have a moral responsibility as stewards of the Earth to protect and preserve our environment. I also believe we can improve our environmental heritage with good management and new creative solutions.

Land Use

As the population continues to grow so do the negative effects of poor or no planning. Local governments must have the standing and tools to manage growth patterns. I support land use policy that leads to greater community density and preservation of open space and productive agriculture land. An anti-sprawl policy also enables better use of public transportation by minimizing routes to population centers, it increases economic activity by reducing the time between transactions, and it makes more efficient use of energy.

Carbon Emission Reduction

We can identify policies and provide incentives that encourage cleaner and less energy intensive transportation. We should also identify and reward industry, including the power industry, for low emission practices. Since the effects of climate change are most likely to increase during this century, we should review and modify management practices with respect to water, forest, and wildlife resources.

Effects of Oil, Gas, and Mineral Production

I support a comprehensive system to monitor and publicly report the environmental and health effects of gas and oil, oil shale, mining, and all related production activity which has the potential for air, water, and other environmental pollution. Increased monitoring does not imply increased regulation but rather increased assurance of compliance with regulations. Such monitoring is in the interest of pubic health and public assurance with respect to environmental concerns. It is also in the interest of the production companies who will benefit from a transparent exchange of information in partnership with the citizens of Colorado.

As your representative I will:

• Work to preserve and protect our environment.
• Work to increase environmental monitoring and to provide public access to the data.
• Promote low carbon and low energy consumption practices.
• Work to create a clean energy economy.
• Support increased wilderness, special use areas, and conservation practices.