Colorado's Front Range contains about 80 percent of the state's population and nine of its ten largest cities. Its population is expected to grow by more than 50% over the next 20 years, increasing pollution, sprawl, and water demands on an already strained environment. The region also encompasses the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, including thousands of acres of roadless forests, several wilderness proposed wilderness areas, and the headwaters for a number of urban watersheds.
Smart Growth
Rapid growth combined with sprawling land-use patterns on the Front Range has led to disappearing open spaces, more congestion on our highways, and more air pollution in the Denver metro area. CEC is dedicated to finding smart solutions and promoting reasonable growth policies that enable our communities to continue to grow without sacrificing the quality of life we treasure.
» more
Water Conservation
Approximately 80% of the population in Colorado resides on the Front Range, while nearly 80% of our water resources originate on the West Slope, driving the need for wise water use and creative solutions to meet future demands. The focus of our work on the Front Range is to encourage conservation and efficiency measures with water consumers, while also encouraging wise water planning with water providers. Future water needs will demand more flexible and creative water planning, which includes conservation, efficiency, reuse, sharing between providers, and work to mitigate the environmental impacts that our increased demand has on our rivers.
» more
Northwest Corridor-Denver Metro Area
The Colorado Department of Transportation is in the midst of a planning process to determine the best alternative for relieving traffic in the northwest Denver metro area including Golden, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Broomfield, and Westminster. CEC is working with local organizations and citizens in the northwest Denver metro area to ensure that $1 billion taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted on a highway or toll road that isn't needed. The voices of the people to preserve this area and obtain common-sense traffic solutions is beginning to be heard. Visit www.gothebetterway.com to learn more.
Clean Energy
The time has come for Colorado to put its technological know-how and natural advantages to work to create a new energy future. By investing in renewable energy such as solar, wind, biofuels and energy efficiency measures we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reinvigorate our economy, create good new jobs, protect consumers, and alleviate ongoing damage our environment. We are working with other conservation groups, farmers, ranchers, and unions on the Front Range to move towards a new energy future in Colorado.
» more
State Legislature
Colorado Environmental Coalition houses a shared community lobbyist to spearhead our work in securing conservation-friendly policies at the state legislature. We work around the state with our partners on our common goals, including new laws promoting clean energy legislation, oil and gas reform to protect wildlife and community health and increased funding for water quality in our state.
» more
Wilderness
While we have active wilderness campaigns all around the state, there are several areas near the Front Range that we are working diligently to protect. There has been a longstanding proposal to designate much of the backcountry of Colorado's crown jewel -- Rocky Mountain National Park -- as wilderness. In addition, there are wilderness-quality lands in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest that comprise the Browns Canyon Wilderness Proposal. CEC and our coalition partners have been working hard with policy makers and local communities to move these proposals forward.
» more
