Colorado to vote on enshrining 'right to natural gas' in state constitution
A ballot measure in Colorado could amend the state constitution to guarantee the right to sell natural gas. The initiative may impact the state's ability to meet climate goals.
Voters in Colorado will decide in November whether to amend the state constitution to include a "right to natural gas." The ballot measure, Initiative 177 or "Right to Natural Gas," was put forward by the conservative nonprofit Advance Colorado after gathering sufficient signatures.
If passed, the measure's broad language could mandate that communities allow the sale of methane gas, potentially overriding local efforts to ban gas appliances in new construction. The stated aim is to protect the future of fossil fuels.
Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on Colorado's climate objectives. The initiative's concise wording, just 60 words long, makes its precise implementation and effects difficult to predict. Critics fear it could hinder the state's progress toward its climate goals and emission reduction targets.
The outcome of the vote will shape Colorado's energy policy and environmental regulations in the coming years.