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Senate advances 5-year extension, expanded membership for Just Transition Advisory Committee
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Summary
Senators voted 6–1 to advance Senate Bill 181, which extends the Just Transition Advisory Committee for five years, adds two worker-focused seats and formalizes the committee’s ongoing advisory role to the Office of Just Transition.
Senator Sarah Roberts and Senator Faith Winter described Senate Bill 181 to the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee as a sunset bill that would continue and modernize the Just Transition Advisory Committee (JTAC), the statutory advisory body to Colorado’s Office of Just Transition (OJT).
The bill, as amended in committee, extends JTAC for five years (rather than continuing it indefinitely) and increases its membership from 19 to 21 by adding two additional representatives of coal-transition workers. The amendment requires that at least one of those additional worker representatives be currently employed at a coal mine and at least one work for an electric utility.
“This office is incredibly important as we are seeing our economy change,” Senator Winter told the committee, urging support. Senator Roberts said the committee has been valuable in advising the office since the OJT’s creation and that changes in membership and updated language were intended to move JTAC from advising on plan creation to advising on plan implementation.
Local governments, labor and the office itself testified in favor. Richard Orf of the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado said JTAC should push more influence on OJT’s operations and grant criteria so funds go where locals need them most. Carl Smith, legislative director for SMART Transportation Division and vice chair of JTAC, said the committee is vital to bringing a worker voice to coal closures and to ensuring benefits and grants reach impacted workers and communities. Wade Buchanan, director of the Office of Just Transition, said much of the office’s work has either originated in or been improved by consultation with JTAC and the office supports the amendment that adds worker and utility representation.
County officials described direct local impacts from earlier OJT work. Senator Roberts and witnesses cited that the office had dispersed roughly $15 million of about $30 million appropriated to date, and noted specific grants such as a $2 million award to Moffat County to build an event center. Routt County Commissioner Sonia Macy’s described ongoing negotiations related to the planned closure of the Xcel Energy plant (referred to in testimony as the Excel Power Plant) and said the closure could cost Routt County about $4.7 million annually in property-tax revenue — a development she said made continuing the advisory committee important during active local negotiations.
Committee action and votes: Senator Winter moved the amendment L2 to SB 181; the amendment was adopted without objection. Senator Winter then moved the bill with a favorable recommendation to the Committee on Appropriations. The clerk polled the committee; the final announced vote was 6–1 and the bill was sent to appropriations.
Why it matters: testimony emphasized both the advisory committee’s role in shaping the Office of Just Transition’s actions and the need to preserve local and worker voices while the state diverts funds and programs to communities facing coal-plant and mine closures.
Ending: Sponsors and witnesses asked senators to vote yes so JTAC can continue to advise OJT as the state and affected communities implement transition plans.
