Controversial new legislation could soon require warning labels at gas stations: 'The purpose of this bill is to equip our neighbors with knowledge'
In an attempt to better educate consumers about the impacts of the Earth's overheating, Colorado may soon require gas stations to post a sticker warning drivers that their fuel use may increase planet-warming gas emissions.
HB 25-1277 narrowly passed the state House on April 2. It is sponsored by state Reps. Jennifer Bacon and Junie Joseph as well as state Sen. Lisa Cutter. If the measure passes the state Senate, the law will go into effect in July 2026.
The proposed sticker would read: "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."
Gas stations that failed to post the sticker would be in violation of the Colorado Consumer Protection Act for deceptive trade practices. Retailers would have 45 days to fix the problem before any enforcement action would be brought against them.
According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, "Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation account for about 28 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions." They trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the rise in global temperature.
Small measures such as the Increasing Transparency Impact of Fuel Products bill can better inform drivers of the impact dirty fuels such as gasoline can have. Bacon argues that the measure will offer consumers vital information to help them understand the impacts of their actions on the warming planet.
"The purpose of this bill is to equip our neighbors with knowledge so they make decisions accordingly," Bacon said, per The Denver Post.
However, not every Colorado politician feels the same way. State Rep. Ron Weinberg considers the move pedantic and redundant.
"Putting a sticker on gas pump [and] telling [Coloradans] what they already know does nothing but insult their intelligence and burden the businesses that keep the state moving," Weinberg said, per The Denver Post.
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