In the early morning hours Wednesday, the Colorado Senate gave the first of two votes approving a state action plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

That gives the upper chamber two days before Friday’s adjournment to get the bill to Gov. Jared Polis’s desk to be signed into law.

The bill, primarily, is a set of goals to reduce emissions that fuel climate change by at least 26% by 2025, at least 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, based on 2005 levels.

“The time we have to address climate change is quickly passing by,” said Sen. Angela Williams, D-Denver, one of the sponsors of House Bill 1261. “There is a sense of urgency. We want to make sure our state addresses it, so that we have more clean air and climate protection.”

The high-priority bill for Democrats was introduced in the House by Speaker KC Becker of Boulder on March 21, and it’s languished in the Senate since April 16.

Becker told reporters Wednesday that the bill’s introduction was delayed because of the need to vet it and get it right. She also was busy working on Senate Bill 181, the legislation already signed into law to give local government more say on where oil and gas operations are located.

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“I think climate change is so important, because I really believe we have a limited amount of time to address it … so losing a year is very real,” Becker said.

Republicans, however, said the legislation was an ineffectual proposal designed more to score people-points than to save consumers money on their energy usage.

“The pollution and elements that are considered as being a reason for man-made climate change really aren’t from around here,” said Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins. “And yet we’re penalizing citizens of the state of Colorado to be, in essence, kind of the climate regulators of the world.

“We can’t do that. We’ll never meet the goals, because of the winds and the jet stream.”

Republicans warn of higher costs to consumer and setbacks for the oil and gas industry, which they say would damage Colorado’s economic vitality.

“My concern is this bill is too far-reaching,” said Sen. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction. “It’s going to hurt consumers. It’s going to hurt businesses in the name of doing something politically popular.”