PUBLIC EDUCATION
TRUTH RISING:
Truth Rising is a digital program designed to counter the misinformation spread by the oil & gas industry. Every year, the industry spends millions of dollars on deceptive and fear-based tv, radio, print and digital advertising to push their false narrative about fracking.
This special interest spending has created an asymmetrical fight between oil & gas companies and residents who want to protect their homes, families and property from the leaks, explosions and toxic emissions associated with fracking. Marginalized communities and communities of color who often suffer the worst impacts from industrial operations are repeatedly targeted with misinformation campaigns.
As long as the oil & gas industry continues to spread their lies, we will continue to spread the truth – that fracking is a boom and bust business that is destroying our health, safety, air, water, economy and climate.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
CLIMATE REDI:
As an organization, we recognize the lack of diversity, inclusiveness and representation within the environmental movement. In order to effectively tackle the climate crisis, which disproportionately affects marginalized, rural and communities of color, we need to build a powerful movement that crosses racial, economic and geographic divides.
To address this issue, we recently launched our Climate REDI program to create greater Representation, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the climate movement. Led by people of color, the program aims to build mutually supportive partnerships with diverse allies to promote local leadership and center the voices of African-American, Indigenous and Latino communities on climate issues.
We believe that in order to combat the climate crisis, we must be REDI; we must build a movement that is centered on Representation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
LEGAL
JUSTICE RISING:
Our Justice Rising program litigates cases against the oil and gas industry and government bad actors, and engages in state agency rulemaking processes to challenge industry permits, hold the state accountable, and protect residents from oil and gas operations. The ultimate goal of our efforts is to stop permits, not simply to mitigate impacts.
Since the program was launched in January 2018, we have successfully held up several permits in heavily impacted communities; including Commerce City, Thornton and Broomfield. The outcome of these efforts, which have resulted in a pause or withdrawal of permits, directly impacts the lives of thousands of frontline families along Denver’s front range.
In 2019, we also launched a ground-breaking legal effort to reinstate Longmont’s fracking ban. The ban was overturned by the Colorado Supreme Court in 2016 as being in conflict with state law. However, the law substantially changed in 2019 with the passage of SB 19-181. Now, local governments can regulate oil and gas development in a manner that is more protective and stricter than state requirements. If this case is successful, it will create a domino effect by allowing local governments across Colorado to pass stricter regulations, including moratoria or bans on oil and gas development in order to protect public health and safety.
Our legal strategies aim to challenge decades of legal precedent that favor the oil and gas industry. The passage of SB 19-181 gives our Justice Rising program the legal boost needed to protect our environment and communities from this abusive industry.
RULEMAKING:
This page is being updated.
LEGISLATIVE
In January of 2019, Colorado Rising started engaging policy makers regarding the protection of our environment and communities by reducing/eliminating fracking in the state of Colorado. Our efforts include educating elected officials on oil and gas issues and mobilizing members of the public to participate in policy making processes.
During the 2019 legislative session, we fought off weakening amendments and advocated for the strongest possible version of SB19-181 – an oil & gas reform bill that prioritizes public health, safety, welfare, environment, and wildlife resources over oil and gas development, and gives greater authority to local governments over oil and gas operations within their jurisdictions.
Under the framework of SB19-181, our Justice Rising program has filed a motion to reinstate Longmont’s voter-enacted fracking ban that has remained in the city and county charter since 2012. Our legal team is playing an active role in the state’s rulemaking process mandated under SB19-181. We are also educating local governments on how to navigate the new law in order to pass the strictest regulations possible to protect the health and safety of their communities.
Our policy efforts support regulations that protect our environment and the health and safety of our communities from the harms of oil and gas operations. Likewise, we fight any efforts to give unnecessary power to the oil and gas industry.
