Denver, CO – Nonprofit organizations and local government representatives from across Colorado congratulate Governor-elect Phil Weiser on his election victory and call on his incoming administration to protect Coloradans from the impacts of climate change, hold polluters accountable, expand clean energy and ensure utility bills and the environment do not suffer from the negative effects of data centers.
Organizations from across the state applaud Weiser’s commitment throughout his campaign to prioritizing Coloradans and our air and water over corporate profits. On the campaign trail, Weiser has championed future data center legislation that will give communities a voice, prevent consumers from bearing higher electricity costs and safeguard Colorado’s clean energy goals and water resources, stating it would be the first priority for his administration.
“We look forward to working with Governor-elect Phil Weiser to hold polluters accountable, advance low-cost clean energy that helps families and businesses struggling with high prices, and protect the land and water that make Colorado special,” said Kelly Nordini, CEO of Conservation Colorado. “We're particularly encouraged that his first legislative priority is to establish strong guardrails for data center development, and we're ready to work alongside his administration to turn that commitment into action during the 2027 legislative session.”
“Governor-elect Weiser has repeatedly pledged on the campaign trail to prioritize strong data center guardrails early in his first term. We’re eager to work with him and the legislature to pass a bill that includes strong protections for rate payers, communities and workers, and ensures any data centers in our state use clean energy,” said Sam Gilchrist, Senior Advisor, NRDC Action Fund.
Weiser said his experience as attorney general taught him the importance of an “enforcement mindset” in state government, including independent inspections, verifying companies’ reports and holding polluters accountable.
“For too long, many Colorado communities have breathed dirty air and carried the health burden of pollution they did not create. I’m grateful that Governor Weiser is committed to enforcing our environmental and public health laws and holding violators accountable. Strong laws only protect people when they are enforced, and this commitment gives families in our community a real reason for hope,” said Emma Pinter, CC4CA Past President and Adams County Commissioner.
"We have an opportunity to rethink how we protect our communities, strengthen our economy, and invest in our environmental future. Our state continues to leave critical funding opportunities and potential revenue on the table, even as our budget deficit grows and communities bear the mounting health and economic costs of pollution," said Ean Thomas Tafoya, Vice President of State Programs GreenLatinos
On the campaign trail, Weiser has also said that Colorado should remain committed to climate action, the clean energy transition and protecting public health. He has also pledged to do all he can to advance Colorado’s clean energy goals and as Attorney General, Weiser has challenged the Trump administration's attempts to keep coal plants open longer than planned at the expense of ratepayers. Colorado's investment in clean energy has helped keep our electricity costs from going up as much as the rest of the country.
“EDF Action looks forward to supporting Governor-elect Weiser's vision for meeting Colorado’s nation-leading climate targets and ensuring Colorado families have access to clean, affordable energy,” said Alex DeGolia, Senior Director, Clean Electricity at EDF Action. “We are eager to collaborate with the Governor-elect to implement solutions that lower costs, reduce harmful air pollution and create a safer future for all Coloradans.”
“Mountain Mamas congratulates Governor-elect Phil Weiser and looks forward to working with him on his commitments to moving Colorado's climate action and clean energy goals forward. The impacts of climate change are here, and families are grappling with the fallout more every year,” said Sara Kuntzler, Colorado State Director, Mountain Mamas. “Moms are on the front lines of these impacts, from protecting their kids from extreme heat and polluted air to balancing budgets in the face of rising home insurance costs and utility bills to dealing with the emotional anguish of what lies ahead for their kids. Families need a Governor who will finally take this crisis seriously.”
“We congratulate Governor Weiser on his victory and thank him for prioritizing climate action. Local governments are on the front lines of extreme weather and rising energy costs, the most visible impacts of climate change to our constituency. We look forward to taking bold and innovative steps, alongside the Governor, to ensure we meet Colorado's climate goals together,” said Sonja Macys, CC4CA President and Routt County Commissioner.
“Governor-elect Weiser’s legacy of fighting for what protects not only our communities, but our environment, is exactly what Colorado needs,” said Colorado Sierra Club Chapter Director, Margaret Kran-Annexstein. “We look forward to working with his administration to meet our clean energy goals to lower prices and clean up our air, implement climate resilience measures so that our communities can thrive, and protect the public lands that make our state so special. As big polluters seek to skirt responsibility for the climate crisis, Governor-elect Weiser’s emphasis on resiliency and commitment to accountability is critical for this moment.”
In Weiser’s “Colorado Blueprint” he outlined plans to appoint a Chief Resilience Officer to coordinate statewide climate resilience efforts, emphasizing the importance of wildfire prevention and community resilience.
“Colorado must meet this moment with bold action that puts the health of our communities first. Climate change is already affecting the health of Coloradans, and we can't afford to slow down. We look forward to working with Governor-elect Phil Weiser and his administration to accelerate our transition to clean energy, strengthen climate resilience, and ensure public health is at the center of our state's decisions,” said Dr. Sara Carpenter, MD, MSPH, DCM, retired pediatrician and Executive Director, Healthy Air & Water Colorado. “Together, we have an opportunity to build a healthier, more resilient future for all Coloradans.”
“Mountain communities across Colorado experience the realities of a changing climate every single day. We live and thrive by the snowpack, and the consequences of climate change are becoming harder to ignore. From longer wildfire seasons and increasing threats to our forests to increasingly unpredictable water supplies, these changes have real consequences for our communities and our economy,” said Nina Waters, CC4CA Vice President and Summit County Commissioner. “I am grateful that Governor-elect Weiser understands what is at stake for our high country communities. His administration has committed to making climate resilience and adaptation a priority, and we welcome a state partner who will work alongside us to protect our residents, our visitors, and our way of life.”
"We congratulate Governor-elect Weiser on his win and for his efforts to listen to the concerns of everyday people in western Colorado. We look forward to meeting with him to discuss our policy priorities on climate resiliency in our region, as well as affordability and economic policies that prioritize rural Coloradans," said Kevin Williams, Western Colorado Alliance Board Chair.
As Attorney General, Weiser opposed the Trump administration’s rollback of fuel efficiency standards, arguing it would increase fuel costs for Coloradans, harm public health and weaken U.S. competitiveness in the electric vehicle market.
"Congratulations to Colorado's new Governor! We look forward to working with Governor-Elect Phil Weiser to simultaneously tackle Colorado's affordability and climate crises through energy efficiency -- the cleanest, cheapest and fastest to deploy energy source," said Elise Jones, Executive Director of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project. "From accelerating the adoption of more efficient technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps, to building better-performing homes, to getting more clean electricity from our grid -- there are so many ways we can help lower Coloradans' bills while reducing the impacts of climate change."
Gov.-elect Weiser was also a champion against Amendment 82, a misleading Constitutional Amendment giving a permanent new "right" for corporate polluters into our constitution.
Now more than ever, governors and state leadership are critical for climate and environmental progress. Colorado has long been a leader on climate and clean energy policy, and these organizations look forward to working with Gov.-elect Weiser to build on our progress.
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This is a community press release we came across and thought deserved more attention.
