Nomination of acting EPA head Wheeler moves to full Senate
WASHINGTON – Acting Environmental Protection Agency head Andrew Wheeler has moved a step closer to Senate confirmation for the full-time job.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-10 along party lines Tuesday to approve President Donald Trump’s nomination of Wheeler as EPA administrator.
Wheeler is a former coal lobbyist and has served as EPA acting head since Scott Pruitt resigned amid ethics allegations in July.
Senate Republicans praise Wheeler for rolling back Obama-era environmental measures, calling that good for the economy.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia says she voted for Wheeler after he assured her the EPA would “look at all available statutory authorities” to deal with a manmade industrial contaminant hitting her state particularly hard.
Democrats say Wheeler is cutting environmental protections to benefit fossil fuel and other industries.
With the deadline missed, Bureau of Reclamation plans to move forward on Colorado River operations
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 19 minutes ago
Feb. 14 was no Valentine for the seven states of the Colorado River, which failed to come up with an agreement by that deadline on how to manage the river beginning Oct. 1. The Department of the Interior and the...
Democrat Shannon Bird qualifies by petition for primary ballot in Colorado’s toss-up 8th CD
Ernest Luning
ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 3 hours ago
Former state Rep. Shannon Bird has qualified for the Democratic primary ballot in Colorado’s hotly contested 8th Congressional District by submitting a sufficient number of petition signatures, state election officials said this week. The winner of the Democrats’ June 30...
Colorado Supreme Court accepts cases about reliability of gun-to-bullet matching
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 13 minutes ago
The Colorado Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will hear two cases questioning the reliability of expert testimony that purports to identify whether a specific bullet was fired from a specific gun. At least three of the court’s seven...
State Rep. Peña outlines significant inequalities in Colorado’s school finance law | A LOOK BACK
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 3 days ago
Forty-Five Years Ago This Week: In a guest column published in The Colorado Statesman, House Minority Leader Rep. Federico Peña, D-Denver, wrote that his greatest disappointment with the legislative process was “the inability, or unwillingness, of the General Assembly to...
Colorado Politics Calendar Feb. 16-22
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances,...
Michael Bennet and ‘the question’ | SONDERMANN
Eric Sondermann
eric-sondermann@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
The train usually runs only one way. The route goes from the state Capitol to Washington, D.C. State legislators become members of Congress; governors become senators. See Hickenlooper, John. Including our junior senator, no matter his years, a total of...
Colorado District Attorneys unveil 2026 legislative priorities | WHAT’S YOUR AGENDA?
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
Welcome to What’s Your Agenda?: The Colorado Politics’ weekly publication of trade association priorities for the state’s 2026 legislative session. The Colorado District Attorneys’ Council provides training, resources, and legislative support to every prosecutor in the state. In order to...
A day in the life of the Capitol: Capitol M | Week of Feb. 14, 2026
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
The lighter side of the Capitol, usually. If you were walking around the Capitol on Feb. 12, there was plenty to see and to be amused (or delighted) by. Let’s start with the high school kids from Greeley’s District 6....
Appeals court clarifies what materials judges may rely on for postconviction decisions
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 20 hours ago
Colorado’s second-highest court clarified on Thursday that trial judges who are deciding whether to grant relief to convicted defendants may rely on the materials attached to, or referenced in, the parties’ arguments. In contrast to direct appeals of criminal convictions,...
Here’s what to know about the Homeland Security shutdown starting this weekend
Deborah Grigsby
deborah.smith@denvergazette.com
Updated 18 hours ago
Another shutdown for parts of the federal government is expected this weekend, following an impasse over funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security amid a push by Democrats for changes in immigration enforcement. Funding for the federal agency is set to...
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France honors Colorado veterans of World War II
WINDSOR – Veterans of World War II from Colorado received the Légion d’Honneur, or Legion of Honor, from the French government. The Coloradoan reports the veterans were honored Monday by Christophe Lemoine, consulate of France based in Los Angeles, at the Good Samaritan Society’s senior living facility in Windsor. Honorees included 2nd Lt. William Powell […]
Former state Energy Office chief goes to work for power wholesaler
Kathleen Staks, who was executive director of the Colorado Energy Office during the final two years of former Gov. John Hickenlooper’s administration, has been hired as director of external affairs for power wholesaler Guzman Energy. “In this new position, Staks will lead stakeholder engagement, legislative and regulatory affairs, and strategic communications to help Guzman Energy […]