On Nov. 15th, 2017, representatives of member organizations of Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate (CCLC) delivered a petition calling on Xcel Energy to take the lead for clean energy in Colorado by generating at least 80% of its electricity with renewables by 2035, completing a study by the end of 2018 to explore how to achieve 100% renewables by 2030. We called on them to close all of their coal plants by 2030 and close fracked gas plants by 2035.
CCLC has 22 member groups. You can read more about the coalition here. Thanks so much to everyone who signed and joined us for the petition delivery event!
Here’s the letter that we delivered, along with pages of over 3,500 individual signers:
November 15, 2017
To: Xcel Energy
From: The Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, which represents 21 organizations and over 100,000 Coloradans working to solve the climate crisis
Re: Petition to Xcel for Further Commitments to Renewable Electricity
Dear Xcel Energy Management and Board,
Coloradans have long been expressing our interest in eliminating our reliance on coal due to its deadly effects. We are encouraged by Xcel’s proposed Colorado Energy Plan, which will explore the closure of two coal units, and which calls for increasing renewable electricity generation to 55% of the total energy mix by 2026.
Decarbonization of the electric sector is an integral and achievable step in making the economy-wide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions required to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. We call for further reductions in the use of all fossil fuels, including fossil (“natural”) gas. Fossil gas is primarily comprised of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas with significant documented leakage rates from fracking wells and infrastructure.
We can make this transition in time to protect human health, the environment of our beautiful state, our communities, and economic viability for our children and grandchildren. As a broad coalition of citizens, faith groups, and community organizations, we request the following from Xcel by the end of this year:
- A schedule for closing all remaining coal plants in Colorado by 2030, and for closing all fossil gas plants by 2035 or earlier.
- A commitment to 80% renewable electricity in Colorado by 2030, with an aspirational goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
- A commitment to complete a study by the end of 2018 on how to achieve 100% renewable electricity in Colorado by 2030.
Sincerely,
Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate (CCLC) as well as other over 3,500 citizens, faith and community groups listed on the following pages
Attachment: List of petition signers
CCLC member organizations include:
350 Colorado (http://350colorado.org)
Clean Energy Action (http://cleanenergyaction.org)
Colorado Chapter, Global Catholic Climate Movement (https://catholicclimatemovement.global)
Colorado Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.coloradoipl.org)
Colorado Renewable Energy Society (http://cres-energy.org)
Community for Sustainable Energy (http://www.cforse.org)
Coop Members Alliance
Denver Catholic Network
Eco-Justice Ministries (http://www.eco-justice.org)
Empower Our Future (http://empowerourfuture.org)
EnergyShouldBe.Org (http://energyshouldbe.org)
Estes Valley Clean Energy Coalition
Fort Collins Sustainability Group (http://fcsg.fccan.org)
Our Children’s Trust Colorado (http://ourchildrenstrust.org/state/colorado)
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (http://rmpjc.org)
San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council (www.slvec.org)
Save EPA (https://www.facebook.com/SaveEPAAlums)
Save the Colorado (http://savethecolorado.org)
Sustainable Resilient Longmont (http://www.srlongmont.org)
The Climate Mobilization – Denver Chapter (https://www.meetup.com/The-Climate-Mobilization-Denver-Chapter)
Transition Fort Collins (http://transitionfortcollins.org)
Wind and Solar Denver (http://decarbondenver.org)
