By Tricia Canonico, Nina Waters, and Jeffrey Woodruff

Across Colorado, the effects of climate change are not abstract — they’re already reshaping our communities. In Summit County, drought and fire danger have forced difficult choices about water restrictions and emergency preparedness. In Pitkin County, ranchers along Emma Road negotiated for the last trickle of ditch water this summer while downstream neighbors simply ran dry. In Fort Collins, extreme heat forced our schools to close early to support the health and safety of our students, affecting thousands of working parents and our children’s education.

We serve as local elected officials in very different parts of the state. Still, we are united by one truth: our communities are on the frontlines of climate change, and the choices Colorado makes about how we heat our homes and businesses will determine whether our way of life endures. That is why the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must adopt bold Clean Heat targets — at least a 50% reduction in emissions by 2035, and a long-term goal of a 100% cut by 2050.

The heating and cooling of buildings is one of the most difficult and persistent sources of greenhouse-gas emissions in Colorado. In Fort Collins, for example, heating buildings is one area where emissions continue to increase, despite the city’s successful reduction of pollution from other sources. In Pitkin County, buildings account for more than 40% of total emissions. And across mountain towns like those in Summit County, where winters are long and cold, we depend on reliable and affordable heating — but we also know the fuels we use today jeopardize the future of our snowpack, water supplies and outdoor economy.

Local governments are working hard to cut emissions. Pitkin County has recently updated its Climate Action Plan to align with the latest scientific findings, committing to a 65% reduction by 2030. Fort Collins is a leader in setting ambitious local climate goals, while Summit County is taking aggressive steps to prepare for and prevent wildfires. But no matter how ambitious we are locally, we can only go so far on our own. Our utilities ultimately decide how our energy is produced and delivered.

The current proposals before the PUC, either a 31% or 41% reduction by 2035, fall short of what science demands and what our communities need. Stronger targets will provide utilities with the clarity to plan investments wisely, identify strategies with the best return for ratepayers, and align with Colorado’s legally required climate goals.

We also urge the commission to limit reliance on recovered methane, methane captured and combusted from landfills, dairies or wastewater treatment, to no more than 5% of utilities’ reduction goals. Methane, regardless of its origin, still releases carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants when burned. Double-counting it as a “solution” risks undermining genuine progress and prolonging our dependence on fuels that harm our health and climate.

Through our energy codes and incentives, we have firsthand experience demonstrating the technologies to meet these goals are both available and workable, even in cold mountain climates. Our communities are showing how these technologies work at scale as cold-climate heat pumps, induction stoves and electric water heaters are already widely in use. Electrification is renewable — and with the right policies, it can also be affordable.

The costs of inaction are already showing up in our communities. Ranchers struggling to irrigate hayfields. Ski resorts eyeing shorter seasons. Families breathing smoke-filled air during longer fire seasons. Cities like Fort Collins are wrestling with the stubborn emissions of old heating systems. Communities in Summit County are preparing for droughts and disasters that once seemed rare, but now come almost every year. 

At the same time, the benefits of bold targets are clear: cleaner air, healthier homes, greater energy security, and long-term savings for ratepayers. Strong statewide policy will empower local governments to build on the work we are already doing, rather than leaving us to fight uphill battles against forces far beyond our control.

Colorado has long been a leader in tackling climate change, and now is not the time to retreat. Weak targets will lock us into decades of higher emissions and higher costs. Strong ones will help preserve the snowpack that sustains our rivers, the landscapes that support our ranchers and outdoor recreation economy, and the health of families across the state.

Our communities are already demonstrating what’s possible. Now we need the state to match that urgency. The Public Utilities Commission has a choice: to hedge or to lead. We urge you to lead — by adopting ambitious clean heat targets that provide our utilities with clarity, give our communities hope and give Colorado the opportunity to build a future that is resilient, prosperous and fair.

Tricia Canonico lives in Fort Collins where she is member of City Council. Nina Waters lives in Summit County where she is a County Commissioner. Jefferey Woodruff lives in Pitkin County where he is a County Commissioner.