Each week, we talk with our colleagues at The Colorado Sun about the stories they're following. This time, Health and Environment Reporter Michael Booth joined us to discuss the California-style clean truck policy Colorado just approved to combat air pollution, plus a new 14er winter climbing record.
Last week, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission agreed to follow California’s lead when it comes to crafting policies for cleaner trucking. The commission unanimously passed new environmental regulations for trucking last week.
Booth told KUNC Coloradans are adapting to electric vehicles more quickly than the national average—but industry will also need to follow suit.
“Now it needs to get done in the medium and heavy-duty trucks that we see on I-70, that we see coming from Amazon warehouses, that we see in your neighborhoods delivering the goods to everybody and doing the hard work of Colorado," Booth said. "They are mostly diesel, very dirty, very hard to clean up, even if you use the most advanced technology.”
The so-called "Advanced Clean Truck" rules will require Colorado's medium and heavy-duty truck manufacturers to sell more electric models starting in 2027. The new rules also require a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines. The standards are designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions statewide and ozone-causing pollution in Colorado's transportation sector.
In another story, a Breckenridge man broke a record this winter climbing all of Colorado's peaks above 14,000 feet in the shortest amount of time recorded during one winter season.
“It's an amazing feat,"Booth said. “The final record now is 72 days, 13 hours and change in climbing on all of Colorado's 50-plus 14ers—all in one winter season.”
