For media inquiries, please contact Ben Picotte at [email protected].
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Foundation (Colorado Chamber) announced a new working group to speed up permitting for development that will reduce emissions from manufacturing, energy production, and other industrial sectors. This working group brings together state agencies, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to cut red tape and support innovation by streamlining permitting for developments that will reduce emissions, encourage innovation, and create good jobs.
“Manufacturing, energy production, and transmission play an important role in Colorado’s economy. This working group will support these industries, protect our environment and clean air, and create good-paying jobs. By streamlining permitting and cutting red tape, we can use innovation to reduce emissions. For the first time ever in Colorado, a majority of our energy comes from clean energy, and this working group will build on that success to unlock new opportunities to energize our economy, protect our environment, and ensure energy reliability to meet growing needs. I thank the Chamber for working with us to find the best path forward for the state,” said Governor Polis.
“Colorado’s business community is committed to protecting and preserving our environment, and meaningful progress on complex environmental challenges requires collaboration across sectors,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman. “We appreciate the governor’s leadership in encouraging state agencies to engage with stakeholders, and we look forward to working together to advance balanced solutions that reduce emissions and support economic growth, positioning Colorado as a leader in environmental policy.”
In April 2026, Governor Polis directed state agencies to collaborate with each other and key stakeholders to identify solutions to accelerate electrification and reduce emissions, including speeding up permitting for projects that advance these objectives. In addition, the Chamber’s Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action Task Force, which brought together diverse industry groups to identify and promote efforts to improve the environment and mitigate emissions, recommended the formation of a work group. This working group will build on these efforts to cut through permitting red tape by convening coordinated discussions with state agencies, industry, and non-governmental organizations.
This working group includes the following:
- Colorado Chamber Foundation and business leaders from industries including commercial buildings, oil and gas, manufacturing, waste management, utilities and transportation
- Non-governmental organizations including Clean Air Task Force (CATF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and RMI
- State agencies and divisions, including the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD), Colorado Energy Office (CEO), Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and the Governor’s Office.