DENVER – Debate on a $27 billion state budget Wednesday in the Senate devolved into a referendum on federal air pollution standards.
Republicans stripped about $300,000 from the Air Pollution Control Division in an effort to block implementation of the Clean Power Plan.
The Environmental Protection Agency rule requires carbon-dioxide emissions to be reduced by 28 percent in Colorado and 32 percent nationally by 2030. The state is charged with developing its own specific plan.
In February, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily delayed implementation of the federal carbon-pollution standards.
Colorado is one of 29 states challenging implementation of the rule. The action to join the lawsuit put Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman at odds with Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who supports implementation.
Republicans had stripped more than $8.4 million in funding for the Air Pollution Control Division, which would have resulted in the layoff of 95 employees at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment by June 30.
The Republican-controlled Senate backtracked on that a bit on Wednesday, passing an amendment to the budget that restored more than $8.1 million. But it left out the $300,000 for implementation of the Clean Power Plan. Two staff positions could be cut.
“These numbers are not a punishment ...” said Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling. “These numbers are what they said they spent ... on the Clean Power Plan, and they continue to spend, even though the Supreme Court asked us to put it on hold.”
The effort by Republicans drew a stern rebuke from Hickenlooper earlier in the day.
“When you’re talking about ... air quality, it seems the height of ridiculousness in terms of partisan politics,” Hickenlooper said. “What we want to be looking at is how do we get to cleaner air?
“I think the whole thing is ridiculous; it’s like a shell game of who is doing which work. We’re working towards clean air. That’s what we’re doing. That’s what the state is doing. That’s what people want us to do.”
Sonnenberg responded: “President Obama made this a partisan issue when he imposed this radical plan on unwilling states by administrative decree, without bothering to get the approval of Congress. And the governor continues to make it partisan by moving forward on a venture the U.S. Supreme Court put on hold, without bothering to get the approval of the people or the General Assembly.”
The budget was expected to receive an initial vote in the Senate Wednesday evening, before a final vote on Thursday. It passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 39-26.
Southwest Colorado Republicans in the House supported the bill, including Reps. Don Coram of Montrose and J. Paul Brown of Ignacio.
A conference committee will likely meet to discuss discrepancies between House and Senate amendments.
It’s possible that the committee would choose to compromise on funding for implementation of the Clean Power Plan.
Democrats attempted to pass an amendment to the budget on Wednesday that would have restored all $8.4 million in funding for air quality, including implementation of the Clean Power Plan. But Republicans shot it down.
“To me, this is Washington-style politics,” said Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville. “That’s the kind of thing people are sick of. They don’t like this kind of game.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
