A bill introduced in the Colorado Senate last month would have paved the way for the state to meet its climate goals, but instead, Senate Democrats killed it in committee.

Senate Bill 22-73, titled Alternative Energy Sources, was introduced by Sen. Bob Rankin and Rep. Hugh McKean and would have required a feasibility study to look into the use of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) as a form of carbon-free energy. SMRs are next-generation nuclear reactors that are safe, small and can produce large amounts of clean energy. In 2019, Colorado adopted some of the most ambitious climate goals in the country, but the state is currently not on track to meet those goals. As the state struggles to transition to 100% clean energy, there is a dire need for a dense energy source that can replace coal and natural gas. Next-generation nuclear energy can do just that.

I testified to the Colorado Senate in favor of Senate Bill 73 because I believe that the opportunities and benefits of next-generation nuclear reactors for the state of Colorado are crucial to meeting the state’s climate goals and providing economic opportunity to hard-working Coloradans. Unfortunately, fear of nuclear energy based on misinformation from anti-nuclear groups like the Sierra Club often drowns out the fact that nuclear energy is the only form of alternative energy with a high enough energy density to replace coal and natural gas.

Energy density refers to the fact that renewables require significantly more space and materials to produce the same amount of energy from nuclear. Since renewables have such a low energy density, relying on 100% renewable energy would take up a massive amount of space that could result in habitat loss, harm to wildlife, and reduced access to open space that so many Coloradans cherish. As for safety, nuclear has proven to be the safest form of energy, in terms of human deaths.

Growing up in California, I witnessed this fear drive poor decision-making that resulted in economic and environmental harm.

In 2012, California closed the San Onofre nuclear reactors which caused carbon emissions in the state to rise by 35%. By 2025, the state is set to close its last remaining nuclear power plant at Diablo Canyon, despite pleas from scientists and even the U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, to keep it open. Multiple studies have proved that the nuclear plant is safe and can hold up against tsunamis, earthquakes and flooding that can occur in the area. Diablo Canyon currently provides 8% of all energy to the state and 15% of its clean energy. If the plant stays open until 2035, the state could reduce power sector carbon emissions by 10% and save $2.6 billion in power costs. If it closes, emissions and energy prices will surely rise.

Colorado, on the other hand, currently gets none of its power from nuclear energy. Instead, the state has historically relied on coal as a power source. Still today, the state gets 36% of its energy from coal-fired power plants which contribute significantly to the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, SMRs can replace coal-fired power plants to provide clean energy and save jobs. Since SMRs are smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, they can easily fit within the boundaries of current coal plants. The Comanche coal plant in Pueblo County has been proposed as a potential site for SMRs in order to replace the energy with a carbon-neutral source and preserve the jobs created by this plant.

California is a cautionary tale of what happens when legislators make laws on the basis of fear and fiction, rather than fact. Colorado had an opportunity through Senate Bill 22-73 to pave a new path forward. A path that lets go of fears from the past and realizes the safety and potential of next-generation nuclear energy. Unfortunately, it was killed by a vote of 3-2, with three Democrats voting no on the bill and both Republicans voting yes. Democrats have long advocated for the investment of taxpayer dollars into climate action, but this past week I witnessed that same party shut down a bill that would have ensured Colorado met its climate goals.

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges that humans have ever faced, and we simply do not have the choice to pick and choose which technologies we want to use. Those who think we have that privilege clearly do not understand the scale of the problem we face. Fears around nuclear power are outdated and cannot dictate our future unless we wish to witness the effects of unmitigated climate change.

Sarah Jensen is an Grassroots Ambassador and branch leader for the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). She testified in favor of SB22-073 in front of the Colorado Senate on behalf of ACC.