Colorado fossil fuel warning bill would highlight air pollution dangers
An aerial view of air pollution in the Denver area. (Courtesy of EcoFlight)
Last month, Lee Zeldin, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, announced a plan to revoke the 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding, the key scientific determination that allows the EPA to regulate climate pollution under the Clean Air Act.
One of the basic functions of good government is to provide reliable information that can then inform policy that is in the public interest. At a time when the federal government is subverting basic truths about climate impacts, it is imperative that local- and state-level policymakers highlight dangers to people and the planet.
Colorado House Bill 25-1277, 'Increasing Transparency Impact of Fuel Products,' seeks to achieve this goal by requiring fossil fuel retailers to place a warning label on gas pumps and in other locations where fossil fuels are sold.
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If passed, HB-1277 would require retailers to affix a warning sticker with the following text:
WARNING: Use of this product releases air pollutants and greenhouse gases, known by the state of Colorado to be linked to significant health impacts and global heating, respectively, pursuant to section 25-5-1603, C.R.S. Tampering with this label is a violation of section 18-4-510, C.R.S.
In light of a multi-front assault on science in general and on climate data in particular, policies that inform the public about basic health and safety measures — think tobacco and alcohol warnings — are an important intervention. Furthermore, the legislation will not cost taxpayers money and represents a relatively small burden on retailers, who will have a 45-day opportunity to correct missing or illegible labels before any enforcement actions are begun.
The stakes could not be higher. A 2018 special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that in order to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the level required to avoid the worst outcomes, we would need to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. Even limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius requires 25% emissions reductions by 2030 and 100% by 2075.
Every additional fraction of a degree of heating exponentially increases risk to a stable climate and to the social and biological systems upon which we all rely. Here in Colorado, oil and gas production along with transportation are the top two sources of ozone pollution. Ozone is particularly dangerous for children and is linked to a range of health problems including asthma, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease.
Sadly, instead of playing a leading role in coordination efforts across sectors and borders that might give us a fighting chance to avoid climate catastrophe, the current federal administration is leading a fossil fuel cult devoted to short-term profit at the expense of a livable future. This involves denying basic truths about how fossil fuels harm our health and planet. The warnings required by HB-1277 can serve as a state-level counterbalance to this disinformation campaign.
My parents grew up at a time when clouds of smog hung over our cities and our rivers were flammable. I grew up at a time when public places were filled with cigarette smoke and there was a dangerous hole in the ozone layer. These hard-fought public health success stories demonstrate that science-based interventions that improve our health and wellness are possible.
No amount of governmental obfuscation can undo the inconvenient truth that climate impacts are here and now. At a time when climate progress and public health are at risk, states and municipalities must step into the breach to keep the public informed.
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