Congressional Hearing On Climate Change Held In Boulder

BOULDER, CO — More than 250 people gathered in the Wittemyer Courtroom at the University of Colorado Law School Thursday morning for the first field hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Others watched the hearing from an overflow room.

“One of the most important things we can do as policymakers is make sure clean energy technology can move from the lab to the market,” Rep. Kathy Castor, the committee's chair, said in her opening statement.

The hearing was held a week after Boulder City Council passed a resolution declaring a climate emergency.

“The state of Colorado – and the 2nd Congressional District in particular – is an epicenter for climate change research, home to both renowned research facilities at the University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University and the federally funded labs and facilities at the forefront of climate and environmental research,” Rep. Joe Neguse said in a written opening statement.

Witness testimony began with Gov. Jared Polis discussing the ways Colorado is leading the way in green technology.

(Stay up-to-date on Boulder news with Boulder Patch! There are many ways for you to connect and stay in touch: Free Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook)

CU Boulder Chief Sustainability Officer Heidi VanGenderen also testified, and sat on a panel of officials and energy experts from Boulder, Denver and Fort Collins during a discussion that took up the bulk of the two-and-a-half-hour hearing.

VanGenderen recommended Congress take a closer look at supporting new energy economy strategies and urged the federal government to take leadership on energy policy.

“The economic, health and community development benefits derived from a willing diversification of our energy fuel portfolio are eminently evident in Colorado and elsewhere around the world,” VanGenderen said.

VanGenderen pointed to several pieces of leading-edge research, including CU Boulder’s development of a long-range methane leak detection system, nanohybrid organisms that use pollutants to produce biodegradable plastics and fuels, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure that allows vehicles to charge as they drive, much of it funded by federal dollars.

“Research for all aspects of climate change and the energy transition is an extraordinarily important investment as researchers and scientists seek to provide you, the lawmakers, accurate, science-based evidence on which to base policies, programs and investments that can make a difference at sufficient speed and scale,” she said.

Earlier in the week, committee members met with CU Boulder researchers and toured several Colorado-based scientific research facilities, including the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.