Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Large Methane User Fee topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents and groups ask Fort Collins to explore large methane user fee to curb emissions
Summary
Multiple residents and advocacy groups urged council to ask city staff to develop a Large Methane User Fee (LMUF) proposal that would charge large commercial users above a threshold and return revenue as incentives to reduce methane (natural gas) use.
Several residents and local advocacy groups asked the Fort Collins City Council on April 15 to ask city staff to develop a Large Methane User Fee, a local charge on high-volume natural gas users intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and finance efficiency incentives.
Kevin Cross, representing the Fort Collins Sustainability Group, told council the group had refined the proposal over the last year and recommended a fee applying to users consuming more than 10,000 therms per year with a 15% rate on usage above that threshold. "Those values would raise just under $4,000,000 per year, which should be returned to those paying the fee in the form of incentives to be applied toward projects that would reduce their methane use," Cross said (Kevin Cross, public comment, 04/15/2025).
Speakers backing the concept said it would target a relatively small number of large commercial and industrial users that contribute a disproportionate share of the city's building-related greenhouse gas emissions. Ed Bean, speaking for the Larimer Alliance for Health, Safety, and the Environment, said the fee "places a modest burden on those larger industrial enterprises and commercial buildings" and asked council to "direct city staff to explore such a program" (Ed Bean, public comment, 04/15/2025).
Other public commentators echoed the request. Barbara Krupnik Goldman recommended directing staff already familiar with the idea to prepare an ordinance, noting that roughly "25% of Fort Collins greenhouse gas pollution comes from burning methane" within city limits. Christina (cochair, DSA Fort Collins) and Nicholas Solhin (Connection Workers Coalition) told council the proposal has community support and urged action.
Several speakers framed the LMUF as complementary to other city policies under consideration, such as building performance standards and electrification codes, saying the LMUF would fill policy gaps for older or process-oriented buildings not covered by those rules.
Council members acknowledged the pitch but said they preferred to wait until a full council could register support. Council Member Olson said she hoped to "move something forward to at least consider that" but suggested waiting until all seven members could weigh in on any next steps (Council Member Olson, council discussion, 04/15/2025).
No council motion to direct staff on the LMUF was made at the meeting. Speakers asked the council to refer the concept to staff for development of an ordinance or detailed proposal for later consideration.
