By Glenda Mostek
GreenCO has been busy the past few weeks, hosting the Green Power luncheon and testifying in committee meetings, as well as following new bills being filed.
Thank you to CNGA members who contributed to the GreenCO fundraising effort to help pay for our lobbyists: Green Spot Inc., Blooma Farms ,Arbor Valley Nursery, Hardy Boy/Welby, Alameda Wholesale Nursery, DBC Irrigation, CPS Distributors, Little Valley Wholesale Nursery, Savatree, and Gulley Greenhouse. It is not too late to donate to the cause! Reach out to Glenda to find out how.
GreenCO members testified on Thursday, February 20 at the hearing on HB25-1113, Limit Turf in New Residential Development.
The bill as written was vague. The intent is to have each local entity (Littleton, Denver, Erie, etc.) enact their own ordinance to limit turf. One entity could do an outright ban on turf and others do very little. GreenCO objected to the bill on the grounds that it was too limiting, did not include any provisions for hybridized, native, or low-water use turf, and could have unintended consequences including: including increased community heat, more airborne carbon and less oxygen, carbon sequestration, increased soil erosion, potential harm to tree canopies, and higher pollution.
GreenCO was able to support amendments which were adopted which included the language:
NEITHER A LOCAL ENTITY NOR THE DEPARTMENT SHALL RESTRICT A PERSON FROM INSTALLING OR ALLOWING ANOTHER PERSON TO INSTALL GRASS SEED OR SOD THAT: (a) IS A NATIVE PLANT; (b) HAS BEEN HYBRIDIZED FOR ARID CONDITIONS; OR (c) IS A LOW-WATER GRASS.” Another change was changing the language from “limit” to “regulate.”
The bill still requires that local entities “shall” make these regulations.
The bill passed out of the House Ag committee, and still must be passed by the full House, as well as go through the Senate Ag Committee, and the full Senate. The GreenCO Legislative committee will discuss the amended bill in its meeting early next week.
Another bill recently introduced that GreenCO will be taking a thorough look at is HB25-1286: Protecting Workers from Extreme Temperatures. This bill would mandate that employers take specific actions to protect workers exposed to extreme temperatures at their worksites. This includes establishing measures to reduce temperature risks, scheduling rest breaks, and creating comprehensive injury and illness prevention plans focused on temperature-related hazards.
