Colorado’s Climate Decisions Are Health Decisions — And This Moment Matters
Posted April 16, 2026
Colorado is at a pivotal moment.
Over the past decade, we have made real progress reducing air pollution and transitioning to cleaner energy, but we still have much work to do. The 2025 State of the Air Report from the American Lung Association identified the Denver metro area as the sixth most polluted region in the nation for ozone levels for three consecutive years. And across the state, our progress is being tested — from federal actions forcing coal plants to stay open longer than planned to rapid growth in energy demand from new industries like data centers.
At its core, addressing these challenges is not just a climate or energy problem — it’s a public health emergency unfolding in front of us. The decisions we make now will have impacts on the health of Coloradans for decades to come. Nowhere is that clearer than in the debate over data centers — one of the defining environmental issues of the current legislative session.
Across Colorado, communities are already being asked to absorb the impacts of these large, energy-intensive facilities. In Denver, I attended a public meeting about a data center under construction in one of the most polluted ZIP codes in the nation, located mere blocks away from a community health center and future affordable housing for seniors. Residents spoke about existing health burdens and fears of additional pollution. It was deeply moving — and deeply concerning.
In Weld County, another data center took a step forward with a zoning ordinance passed by the county commissioners, paving the way for construction near homes, parks and waterways. We worked with partners to galvanize public participation there, ensuring residents had the information and opportunity to speak up about impacts to their health and quality of life. Colorado Springs residents are also mobilizing around a proposed data center in their community. These developments make clear what is at stake.
That is why the protections included in Senate Bill 26-102 are so important. This bill establishes guardrails for large electricity users like data centers — requiring them to pay their full costs, use 100% clean electricity, and limit impacts on air quality, water and the grid. Economic development should not come at the expense of community health.
But data centers are just one piece of a larger picture. As a physician, I don’t treat one symptom in isolation — I look at the whole patient, which is exactly what Colorado must do now. It is critical that we take a holistic, all-of-government approach to energy-related decisions that centers health, affordability and equity.
That includes ensuring strong oversight. How we approach the reauthorization of the Public Utilities Commission through House Bill 26-1326 will play a vital role in shaping our energy future — from utility bills to pollution levels. A well-resourced commission is essential to protect consumers, reduce emissions, and ensure meaningful community participation.
We must also protect Colorado’s progress from external threats. House Bill 26-1226 responds to federal actions to keep coal plants online beyond their planned retirement dates, and would ensure transparency, limit costs to ratepayers, and require modern pollution controls. Coloradans should not be forced to accept both higher costs and worse air quality.
At the same time, we must ensure the clean energy transition works for everyone.
Senate Bill 26-148 helps families afford energy efficiency and electrification upgrades, while lowering pollution. Senate Bill 26-2 ensures households can access a basic level of electricity — because staying safe during extreme heat or cold is essential to health. And House Bill 26-1272 recognizes that climate change is already affecting workers, requiring the state to track and respond to heat- and cold-related illness. These are just a few of the bills currently under consideration that will determine our path forward.
At first glance, this may seem like a long list of separate bills. In reality, they are inextricably linked. Each of these policies addresses a different part of the same challenge: protecting people from the irrefutable health harms of climate change and pollution. Together, they create an infrastructure that promotes the profound, positive impacts that clean energy, affordability and environmental protection have on human health. We have the power to achieve this — but only if we act with intention.
Colorado has been a leader in climate and clean energy. We must demonstrate that leadership again by ensuring that every decision — across agencies and sectors — protects the health of our communities. This is our moment to choose clean air, safe water, affordable energy and healthy people.
We should not settle for anything less.
Dr. Sara Carpenter, a retired pediatrician, is the Healthy Air and Water Colorado board chair. This commentary is republished from Colorado Newsline under a Creative Commons license.
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