DENVER – Lawmakers put the pedal to the floor Tuesday on a measure to penalize “rolling coal” at the state Capitol.
Senate Bill 278, which creates a traffic infraction for nuisance displays of vehicle exhaust such as the smoke spewed by modified diesel-powered pickup trucks, was passed by the House on a 40-25 vote Tuesday and is headed to the governor’s desk.
The penalty would amount to a $100 fine with no loss of points from a driver’s license. It will only be enforced if the release of exhaust obscures the view of the roadway or creates a hazard for drivers, bicyclists or pedestrians.
SB 278 represents the second attempt this year to crack down on the practice of rolling coal. The first attempt died over concerns that it would penalize agricultural and commercial vehicles that are purposely modified to improve their performance.
The latest bill contains provisions to exempt these vehicles from the scope of the bill, so it garnered the bipartisan support needed to pass the split Legislature.
SB 278, and its earlier incarnation, was sponsored by Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, and Rep. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins.
The measure was endorsed by the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, the city of Durango, several cycling groups and Conservation Colorado, which released a statement following its passage.
Theresa Conley, advocacy director for the organization, said the passage of SB 278 placed Colorado as a leader in efforts to crack down on a practice that “creates a safety hazard for motorists, a health risk for pedestrians, and a threat to our environment.”
lperkins@durangoherald.com
