Colorado board sets $0.08 per‑ton geologic stewardship fee, will revisit in 2029

DENVER — The Geologic Storage Stewardship Enterprise Board voted unanimously on Jan. 27 to set an initial geologic stewardship fee of $0.08 per ton of injected carbon dioxide, approve a standing six‑month meeting schedule for the next three years and direct staff to revisit the fee in calendar year 2029.

The decision came after staff presented a white paper comparing fee approaches in other states and recommending a straightforward per‑ton charge in the 8¢–12¢ range. Chair Jeff Robbins summarized staff’s recommendation, saying, “I think your recommendation was 8¢ to 12¢ per ton.” Staff noted that Louisiana’s higher fees reflect greater activity and permitting components that Colorado does not currently share.

Why it matters: The fee will create a trust to fund long‑term stewardship — monitoring and rare remediation — after an operator is released from regulatory and financial assurance obligations. Board and staff repeatedly described monitoring as the most likely long‑term expense, while acknowledging that low‑probability, high‑consequence remediation could require additional resources.

During deliberations, staff described how monitoring intensity typically decreases after active injection and site closure, but that event‑driven monitoring or remediation can still be necessary. As ECMC subject matter staff put it, monitoring can “make remediation much lower” if it detects problems early.

Board member Julie Murphy moved the measure and asked that the board meet at least every six months for the first three years and formally reevaluate the fee in 2029. In making the motion, Murphy said, “I would move that this board meet plan to meet every 6 months or at a minimum annually, for the next 3 years. I would end that the board set the initial storage fee at 8¢ per ton, and that the board, planned to revisit with appropriate, you know, public process that fee in 2029.” The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The board also considered whether to create a separate orphan geologic storage fee intended to address abandoned or ownerless storage sites. After staff and several board members said there is currently insufficient activity or evidence of orphaned sites in Colorado to justify that charge, the board moved and unanimously approved a decision not to impose an orphan fee at this time, while reserving the option to revisit the matter later.

What the board authorized and next steps: The motion the board approved sets a stewardship fee of $0.08 for each ton of CO2 injected in Colorado, establishes a six‑month informational meeting cadence, and schedules a formal reevaluation in 2029 while preserving the board’s ability to change the fee sooner if reasonably anticipated future expenditures change.

Staff told the board it will schedule the six‑month meetings, invite relevant experts and other states’ officials as appropriate, and solicit stakeholder suggestions. The board closed the meeting with a plan to reconvene in six months.

Vote at a glance: Stewardship fee motion — approved (voice vote, unanimous). Orphan geologic storage fee — board decided not to set a fee at this time (motion approved, unanimous).

Notes: The board cited statute in framing permissible fee structures and long‑term stewardship responsibilities; staff and board repeatedly referenced comparative programs in Louisiana, Wyoming and North Dakota. Public comment had been received in writing on the white paper but no speakers signed up for oral public comment at the meeting.

The meeting was held by the Colorado Geologic Storage Stewardship Enterprise Board and chaired by Jeff Robbins. The board included Anna Littlefield, Julie Murphy, Bob Randall and Ashley Ross. The agency staff and legal counsel present included Mark Seeley, Bridget (Huntley), Mike Rigby and AAG Ben Boudreaux.