It’s budget week at the Capitol, which means all focus at the legislature has been on finalizing the funding of state government for the next fiscal year.
Senate Bill 254 is part of the budget package, which transfers $5 million in funding to the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) within the state’s health and environment agency. The funding is intended to ease the fee increases that are expected on industry due to what agency officials say has been an increased workload for processing permits and other functions.
The Colorado Chamber took an “amend” position on the bill in order to include transparency and reporting requirements as a condition of the additional funding. Colorado Chamber members impacted by the expected fee increases have experienced extreme delays at the division and want to ensure that there is accountability in how the funds are spent.
For example, today, the average amount of time it takes for air quality permits to be processed and issued is 459 days. This has nearly tripled compared to 2019, when the average permit processing time was 165 days. This is despite the hiring of 100 new employees and additional funding in recent years at APCD.
Fees from APCD on industry continue to grow, which has increased the division’s budget and resources. Yet the division has yet to show any faster timelines or efficiencies as a result of the increased spending. Transparency is needed to justify additional funding to the division. The Colorado Chamber’s goal is to reduce permit processing timelines, increase transparency and efficiency, and streamline processes at APCD through these additional requirements.
The Chamber was successful in amending SB 254 in the House, which received bipartisan support. The bill is now moving to the Senate, which we expect will concur with the House amendment.