Colorado joined 29 other states today as charter members of The Climate Registry, marking the largest multi-state effort to address climate change. The list of charter members includes the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Campo Kumeyaay Nation. Two Canadian provinces, British Columbia and Manitoba, have also committed to participate.

The voluntary registry will assist in measuring, tracking and verifying emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the gases that cause climate change. It will also provide the measurement and reporting infrastructure to support voluntary, mandatory, market-based and emissions reduction programs that are consistent across borders and industry sectors. The Registry will accept reporting data in January 2008.

“Participating in The Climate Registry is a critical step forward in Colorado’s efforts to address climate change,” Gov. Bill Ritter said. “We can only manage what we can effectively measure. Getting accurate data on GHG emissions is a vital first step towards addressing the impacts of climate change in Colorado. It also makes sense for states to share resources and synchronize our programs.”

Gov. Ritter last month named Heidi VanGenderen as state government’s first policy adviser on climate change. VanGenderen started in her new position on May 1 and soon will begin crafting a statewide climate change action plan.

Additional background information about the registry:

* The Climate Registry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Directors made up of state and tribal representatives. Governors and environmental secretaries from member states and tribes joined the organization by signing on to a Statement of Principles and Goals and designating a representative to the organization’s Board of Directors.

* Initial funding and in-kind support will be provided by foundations and a number of the participating states, although there is no specific obligation for state funding. Voluntary reporters will pay fees.

* Corporations, state agencies, municipalities, educational institutions and nonprofit groups are all invited to report under the voluntary program. Various states may also have specific sources and facilities required to report under state regulatory programs. In the future, offset reduction projects are also likely to be reported in The Climate Registry.

* The main function of The Climate Registry is to provide a common platform for states and tribes to measure and report emissions of greenhouse gases in an accurate, transparent manner consistent across borders and industry sectors.

* The registry is partly modeled after the California Climate Action Registry, which has successfully operated a voluntary greenhouse gas registry since 2001 with over 240 members that comprise leading multi-national corporations, state agencies, municipalities, educational institutions and environmental nonprofits. The California Registry has certified over 320 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (roughly the annual emissions of Brazil).

* The Climate Registry was incorporated in Washington, D.C. in March 2007. It is anticipated that there will be several regional offices throughout the country. Initially, the California Climate Action Registry will provide administrative and reporting infrastructure support. NESCAUM will also be part of starting up the new Registry, and it is likely that LADCO, WRAP and other associations of states will assist too.

Gov. Bill Ritter today signed into law the nation’s toughest targeted divestment bill aimed at ending the suffering in Darfur. HB 1184, supported by a broad bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, cuts the financial ties between the state’s public pension funds and companies that support the Sudanese government responsible for the atrocities in Darfur.

“This bill is especially meaningful to me because of my time in Africa,” Gov. Ritter said. “Colorado has no business supporting companies that facilitate genocide. Targeted investment can help insure our pension funds are redirected in a responsible way, and by joining with other states we can send a strong message that what is happening in Darfur is unacceptable.”

The genocidal government of Sudan is heavily reliant on foreign investment, and spends more than 70 percent of its oil revenue on a military force that perpetuates genocide.

HB 1184 requires pension funds to maintain a list of companies that either directly or indirectly help the Sudanese government commit genocide. After an expedited engagement period, the pension funds would be required to divest from companies that do not change their business practices in Sudan. The funds would be prohibited from future investment in offending companies until the atrocities cease.

Here is the text of HB-1184

Today Governor Ritter’s office release a list of accomplishments, including what Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien and executive branch departments have achived so far.

Bills Signed Into Law: 172
Executive Orders Issued: 96
Nominations & Appointments: 125

New Energy Economy

* Doubled Colorado’s renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020 (HB 1281).

* Promoted full legislative package, including Clean Energy Fund, Wind on the
Wires transmission bills and incentives for renewable-energy production.

* Landed Vestas Blades manufacturing plant (460 jobs).

* Issued Greening of State Government executive order.

* Quadrupling the number of E-85 ethanol fuel pumps around Colorado.

Environment & Natural Resources

* Proposed overhaul of Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to broaden
membership and take public health and environment into account.

* Called for legislative task force to examine northeast Colorado water issues.

* Hired a climate change adviser to the Office of Policy and Initiatives.

* Submitted revisions to Colorado’s roadless-protection petition.

* Signed HB 1132 into law, allowing water quality and environmental impacts
to be considered in water-transfer decisions.

Health Care

* Established Preferred Drug List, lowering prescription drug costs for Medicaid
clients and saving at least $1.6M annually.

* Established Colorado Cares Rx Program, providing discounted generic medication
to 264,000 Coloradans (SB 1).

* Signed HB 1133, the Health Care Whistleblower Protection Bill.

* Created Nurse Workforce and Patient Care Task Force.

* Initiated legislation to add three members to "208" Commission.

* Signed SB 60, which helps notify rape victims of emergency contraception.

* Signed SB 97, which redirects tobacco settlement money into health care.

* Signed SB 79, which requires standard medical contracts between insurers
and doctors and other health providers.

Transportation

* Named 32-member Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel.

* Hosted 600 participants at "Bridges to the 21st Century" Statewide
Transportation Summit.

Education

* Introduced plan to keep State Education Fund from becoming insolvent.

* Signed HB 1014, reviving graduate programs at Western State College.

* Signed HB 1048, allowing the state to measure student progress over time.

* Proposed an additional $5.7M in financial aid for college students.

* Proposed $25M for construction projects at colleges and other facilities.

Economic Development

* Convened a Business Advisory Group of 20 business leaders.

* Established a Jobs Cabinet.

* Landed Vestas Blades manufacturing plant (460 jobs).

Criminal Justice

* Introduced plan to reduce the state’s nearly 50 percent offender recidivism
rate.

* Signed HB 1010, modernizing crime-fighting tools for police at crime scenes.

* Appointed six new judges.

Driver’s License Offices

* Proposed re-opening 2 driver’s license offices (Adams and Jefferson counties).

Government Efficiency

* Proposed Government Efficiency and Management Performance Review.

* Dissolved Office of Colorado Benefits Management System, saving $200K.

* Restored employee payroll deduction option.

Storm Relief

* Authorized up to $1M in emergency funds for Holly tornado recovery.

* Arranged for 50 FEMA mobile homes and travel trailers for people of Holly.

* Authorized $2.5M southeast Colorado blizzard recovery.

* Seeking aid for cattlemen, ranchers and farmers through USDA and Congress.

Lawsuit Settlement

* Facilitated settlement of lawsuit involving long wait times for county jail
inmates to receive court-ordered mental-health competency hearings.

Lt. Gov. O’Brien: First 100 Days in Office

Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs

* Facilitated first-ever "learning" trip with Southern Ute and Ute
Mountain Ute tribes.

* Convened Ute Mountain Ute tribal council members, Cortez law enforcement,
and other city and county leaders to discuss mutual concerns in Montezuma and
Cortez counties.

* Collaborated with Sen. Williams to write and successfully pass SJR07-024.

Health and Wellness

* Partnered with Kaiser Permanente and CDPHE to launch the "Live Well"
initiative.

* Acting as spokesperson for CHP+ program.

* Chairing the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission.

* Partnered with a coalition to write HB1347.

* Worked with HCPF, CDPHE on funding for obesity and nutrition programs and
promotion.

Early Childhood

* Worked to move policy work on ECE to the Office of the Lt. Governor.

* Launched key efforts and raised needed funds to examine a potential governance
structure for early childhood in Colorado.

* Launched efforts to increase Colorado Preschool and Kindergarten Program
by an additional 2,000 slots, fulfilling a 2003 goal of the Children’s Campaign.

K-12 Education

* Made key contributions to fine tuning governor’s executive order establishing
the P-20 Council.

* Partnered with the Donnell-Kay and Piton Foundations to host a conference
and several meetings with business and legislative leaders regarding education
reform.

* Appointed by the governor to represent Colorado on the Education Commission
of the States.

Governor’s Commission on Community Service

* Aligned federal priorities for Commission on Community Service with Colorado
Promise.

Economic Development

* Partnered with the Colorado Council on the Arts, C.U. Denver Film Program,
and the Denver Film Society to create a new focus on the arts as an economic
development tool.

* Chairing the Henderson Underground Science and Engineering Project.

Ritter Administration: First 100 Days

Department of Agriculture

* Responded to southeast Colorado blizzards with hay drops; working with federal
government and Congress to secure disaster designation; and helped coordinate
Operation Blizzard Benefit Concert.

* Examining well-water issues along South Platte River in northeast Colorado.

* Testified at Farm Bill field hearing in Colorado.

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

* Absorbed responsibilities of Colorado Benefits Management System with Department
of Human Services.

* Reorganizing department with new leadership team, mission, vision and goals.

* Implementing governor’s Preferred Drug List executive order.

* Created position for director of Client and Community Relations.

Department of Higher Education

* Secured an additional $57.8M, or 8.45% for higher-ed funding in FY07/08.

* Accepted a grant from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
to hold a summit in June to address long-term financing of public higher education.

Department of Human Services

* Opened Forensic Unit at Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo and reduced
wait-list of inmates waiting for competency hearings. Also settled a related
lawsuit.

* Increased support for counties to meet obligations to Colorado’s needy population.

* Absorbed responsibilities of Colorado Benefit Management System along with
Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

* Initiated plans and requested funds to improve physical standards at the
Homelake Domiciliary and Veterans Nursing Home.

Department of Labor and Employment

* Introduced new website for job-seekers and workforce professionals.

* Provided extensive assistance on implementation of new immigration laws regarding
employment eligibility and legal-worker status.

* Received honors from the EPA for developing an innovative system to manage
the State Petroleum Storage Tank Fund, resulting in faster and cheaper cleanups.

Department of Local Affairs

* Coordinated emergency-response and recovery efforts after the Holly tornado,
including securing 50 travel trailers from FEMA for families who lost their
homes.

* Led response efforts following this winter’s blizzards in southeast Colorado.

* Established new Foreclosure Hotline to combat Colorado’s high foreclosure
rate.

* Awarded $20.6M to energy-impacted communities for public improvement projects.

* Awarded $232K to seven regional growth management projects around the state.

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

* Trained and prepared for deployments of 162-person security force company,
30- person aero-medical evacuation unit and 280-man special forces unit.

* Improved recruiting and retention in Army National Guard to reach 107% strength
and 101% strength in Air National Guard.

* Supported legislation to establish an oversight commission for the State
Veterans Nursing Homes (HB 1211).

* Supported legislation to establish local advisory boards for each State Veterans
Nursing Home (HB 1212).

* Conducted eight searches for overdue/crashed aircraft.

Department of Natural Resources

* Leading the effort to reform the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
by expanding its membership and broadening its mission (HB 1341).

* Worked with Gov. Ritter to submit a roadless-area petition to the federal
government.

* Produced the first renewable energy leasing opportunities map, identifying
nearly 50,000 acres of potential land for renewable energy leasing across the
state.

* Worked with lawmakers on two important water-right bills, HB 1305 and HB
1012.

Department of Public Health and Environment

* Passed new regulations governing mercury emissions from coal-fired power
plants, requiring reductions faster than expected under a federal rule.

* Serving on Cabinet-level interagency Climate Change Team responsible for
developing a state strategy to address issues of climate change.

* Launched the $3M-a-year public-private LiveWell Colorado program to encourage
improved physical activity and nutrition.

* Preparing to debut the Smart Meal Seal pilot.

* Piloting SimplyWell, a comprehensive health risk management solutions program.

Department of Public Safety

* With Department of Corrections, leading the effort to cut prison recidivism
rates.

* Supporting "Safet2Tell" violence-prevention program, which provides
students, teachers and parents with a confidential program to report school
safety concerns.

* Completed a project that electronically transmits fingerprint records to
the FBI.

* Signed an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that will provide
ICE training to 22 state troopers for a new Immigration Enforcement Unit.

* Provided DNA analysis that solved two 20-year old criminal cases.

* Colorado State Patrol troopers were among first responders to Holly tornado.

* Colorado Bureau of Investigation launched a new identity theft unit.

Department of Regulatory Agencies

* Secured resources to open civil rights offices in Pueblo and Grand Junction.

* Responded to concerns that citizens may not be aware of their rights throughout
the regulatory process. Began disseminating statement of rights to anyone who
files a complaint with the department.

* Posted an area on website with cross-divisional Q & A links geared toward
most frequently asked questions from consumers.

* Approved a solar energy contract between Xcel Energy and SunEdison that provides
for construction of the nation’s largest photovoltaic plant. Groundbreaking
ceremony is scheduled for April 23 in Alamosa.

Department of Revenue

* Expanded online license-plate renewal.

* Implemented online payment processing for Net-filers.

* Working toward re-opening several driver’s license offices around Colorado
and making online renewal available by late summer 2007.

Department of Transportation

* Participated in "Bridges to the 21st Century" Statewide Transportation
Summit.

* Snowplow drivers logged 67,000 hours of overtime responding to winter blizzards
and maintenance crews have filled more than 155,000 potholes.

* Launched 511, a new traveler information hotline for weather and construction
info.

* Debuted "Driver’s Seat" education and safety campaign for teen
drivers and parents.

(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at: www.DemNotes.com)

Scott McInnis was my Congressman for a while when I first moved back to Colorado. In the 1990s, Fremont County was split nearly evenly between the 3rd CD (McInnis) and the 5th CD (Hefley). Hefley had less than a half-dozen counties in his district. McInnis had about half of Colorado’s counties in his district — over 30, if I recall correctly. Yet, McInnis visited Fremont County easily three times as often as Joel Hefley.

Often overlooked by the Denver crowd is the fact that Scott McInnis is a powerful politician — perhaps the best Republican “politician” in the State of Colorado. He understands how to appeal to moderate voters, and he’s a personable guy. If you lived in the Third CD - the Western Slope or Pueblo — during McInnis’ tenure, you know what I mean. Just ask Mary Beth Corsentino, the long-time Chair of the 3rd CD Democrats. She’ll tell you how tough it was to challenge McInnis electorally.

To be sure, McInnis has a lot of problems — mostly surrounding his ethics, his close ties with Tom DeLay, his employing his wife to run a campaign that didn’t exist, etc. He’s now a lobbyist — and a very successful one at that. As Democrats, we were prepared to take on “McLobbyist” with zeal, exposing what a McInnis senate seat might look like and comparing that to what a Udall senate seat will look like. But I’ll be honest — from my perspective, Scott McInnis was the best candidate (for the GOP) the GOP could run against us in the open U.S. Senate race in 2008.

But he’s not running.

That’s the news today. I’m sure you’ve heard it from several sources by now. Scott McInnis has announced that he won’t run for the U.S. Senate in Colorado in 2008. Why? Well, to put it simply, the Republican faithful haven’t deemed him “right-wing” enough. They wouldn’t support him. They labeled him as a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only), even though he was as conservative as it comes on a lot of issues, including environmental protection on the Western Slope.

The Republican nomination is now up in the air. Over the next year and a half, they’ll figure it out, and we’ll be ready for them when they do. But today is definitely a VERY good day for Colorado Democrats.

We’ll have to keep our noses to the grindstone. We’ll have to keep working hard. But in the end, if we do all that, Coloradans will help Democrats expand their majority in the US Senate by picking up a second Senate seat in Colorado!

(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.demnotes.com)

Last night, the Pueblo Dems held their annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. It was the best-attended even in recent history for the Pueblo Dems, with nearly 500 packed into the Union Depot to see our new Governor.

Governor Ritter spent the whole day in Pueblo, attending a variety of emotional events. The most emotional, of course, was his attendance at the funeral of a Puebloan who recently died in Iraq. Here’s a rundown from the Chieftain:

Among the mourners Friday was Gov. Bill Ritter. It was the fourth funeral for a Colorado serviceman that Ritter has attended since taking office.

Meeting with Joanna Harris and the soldier’s parents briefly before the service, Ritter told them, “I’m here because I believe it’s important on behalf of the state to acknowledge Blake’s service to his country.”

Gov. Ritter also signed a bill by Senator Abel Tapia into law in Pueblo yesterday, as well as touring the State Hospital in Pueblo. Recounting the day at the dinner last night, Gov. Ritter talked about how thankful the state employees at the State Hospital were to have the Governor there. “We haven’t had a Governor visit here since Roy Romer,” they told Ritter. Ritter responded, “Well, there’s only been one Governor since!”

Just before the Pueblo Dems’ dinner, Governor Ritter held a private meeting with leaders of Southern Colorado’s labor movement. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the meeting, and I can tell you that it was a very productive, and healthy, meeting. I don’t want to go into too many details of the meeting, as I was just a guest, but both the Governor and labor leaders were frank about the problems that arose from the Governor’s veto of amendments to the Colorado Labor Peace Act, and both sides were also very productive about how to proceed in a positive manner for Colorado’s workers from here. I was proud of the professionalism I saw in that room — in a city that was built by Labor.

Then, the dinner began. It was a great celebration of Pueblo Democrats, complete with free green beer. I had the pleasure of sitting across from Don Mares, who is the new Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Mr. Mares joined the Governor on his trip to Southern Colorado. I had a great conversation with Mares, who is commited to getting to every part of the state to visit Workforce Center offices around the state as an ambassador of Governor Ritter. That’s the kind of outreach we haven’t had for the past eight years, and it is good to see the Governor’s cabinet so commited to getting to all of the parts of the state!

Governor Ritter gave a great speech about how the work we did to win elections in 2006 were now translating into solid changes and improvements for Coloradans. He pledged that his administration would continue to watch out for people “on the margins,” because if we don’t, nobody will. He left to a standing ovation…

Several wonderful Pueblo Dems were also honored with awards, including all of the out-going officers of the Party and county elected officials. It was a night of a lot of standing ovations, because there were so many very well-respected leaders of Southern Colorado being honored.

Tonight, I’m off to Fort Collins — I’ll report more from there tomorrow. (By the way, I wondered in yesterday’s post how the Governor was going to keynote speeches in Larimer and El Paso Counties tonight. Last night, he told us the answer: he’s flying between the cities. Now it makes sense!

———————

There’s one other event that I completely forgot to mention in yesterday’s post. We’ve had several Presidential candidates stop by Colorado lately, and tomorrow is Senator Barack Obama’s turn. He’ll be in Denver for a public event and fundraiser. Here’s the details on the public event from the Obama campaign:

Barack Obama will be in Denver on Sunday, March 18th at Sherman Street Event Center at 1770 Sherman Street. The doors open at 4 PM. There is a suggested donation of $25 dollars but the PUBLIC IS WELCOMED.

In addition, volunteers are needed to help with the event on 3 pm. If you are interested, contact Rafael Noboa at raf@coloradoforobama.net .

If you haven’t seen Senator Obama speak, I’d strongly encourage you to take some time Sunday to see him!