Former state Rep. Daneya Esgar is set to join the board governing the Front Range Passenger Rail District, which is charged with creating an interconnected passenger rail line along the Front Range. 

The Front Range Passenger Rail District was created by the passage of Senate Bill 21-238 in 2021 to plan, finance, construct and operate a rail system along the Interstate 25 corridor from Trinidad to Fort Collins that would connect with Amtrak’s Southwest Chief cross-country rail line and may, in the future, be extended into Wyoming and New Mexico.  

Esgar, a Pueblo Democrat, prime sponsored the bill during her time in the state House of Representatives. Esgar was term limited this year. 

“I’ve worked hard for the last eight years as a legislator to help build passenger rail in Colorado, and now we are one are closer to making this a reality,” Esgar said. “I’m proud to be a credible voice to the district to ensure environmental practices and policies are an ongoing part of the conversations over the upcoming years.” 

The state Senate approved Esgar’s appointment Monday morning after Gov. Jared Polis selected her to serve on the board. Senators voted, 22-12, in support of Esgar’s appointment. All Republicans voted in opposition, while all Democrats in favor. 

Opponents argued that Esgar doesn’t have enough expertise in environmental conservation to serve on the board, as she has no formal education in the field. 

The governor’s appointees are required to have collective experience in transportation or public finance, supporting a statewide employee organization, passenger rail system development or operations, and environmental conservation.

Sen. Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, said Esgar was selected to fulfill the environmental conservation portion of the requirement. 

“I can’t imagine how many wildlife corridors, endangered species, conservation easements. There’s an abundance of challenges in the creation of this district,” Simpson said. “I just, with all due respect, do not believe Majority Leader Esgar comes close to filling the requirements of that level of expertise in this role.”

In addition to the governor’s six appointees, the board must be comprised of 10 appointees from transportation planning organizations, six from metropolitan planning organizations, one from the Pueblo area council of governments, one from the south central council of governments and one appointed by the executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Senate Democrats defended Esgar, calling her “highly qualified” for the position, given her intimate involvement in developing legislation to create and execute the Front Range rail project. They also said Esgar has worked on numerous environmental issues as a state legislator and as a community member and organizer in Pueblo. 

“Academically she’s qualified, professionally she’s qualified, personally she’s qualified,” said Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster. “She is going to bring passion and tenacity that this board needs.” 

The Front Range Passenger Rail District is an independent political subdivision that can levy taxes to fund and exercise eminent domain to take private property for the rail project. The district is also exempt from all state and local taxes. 

The Front Range rail project has been in the works for several years, with the state legislature in 2017 creating the Front Range Passenger Rail Commission to study the idea of creating a passenger rail line from New Mexico to Wyoming with stops up the Front Range. 

Last year, the legislature passed a bill providing nearly $9 million in funding for the Front Range passenger rail’s planning and development.