What are we trying to accomplish?
- Short term goal: Convince Colorado to adopt an energy study which will explore building more nuclear in Colorado.
- Long term goal: build more nuclear in Colorado. Specific goals should include:
- Replace every coal plant with nuclear power plants.
- Replace diesel generators with microreactors.
- Use nuclear for industrial activities and back-up power generation, battery manufacturing, chemical plants, breweries, etc.
- Eliminate the need for utility scale renewables.
How are we going to do it?
Start with the State’s Congress by passing legislation and policy reform which encourages the growth, adoption, and deployment of nuclear energy.
There is currently a House Bill (HB23-1247) which will commission a study to explore firm, dispatchable energy generation sources. Nuclear is included in that definition. We must pass this bill to begin the flywheel on adopting this technology.
In order to pass the bill, we need to convince our representatives who are voting on it. This will be a team effort and an awesome opportunity to educate influential members of society about nuclear energy! We recommend:
- Email, text, and call all the reps advocating for nuclear energy.
- Request an in person or virtual meeting where you will offer to educate them on nuclear energy.
- If possible, go meet them in person at the state Capitol while they’re on the House floor.
Colorado House Energy & Environment Committee
The bill will was heard on March 29th, 2023 at the state Capitol by the House Energy and Environment Committee, and it passed out of committee UNANIMOUSLY! It was truly an awesome experience.
Take a moment to email a thank you letter to each of the committee members for voting it out of committee.
Now the real work begins as the bill moves to appropriations and onto the House and Senate floors.
| Senator | Phone | Building | Office | District (Counties) | Party | |
| Cathy Kipp – Chair | cathy.kipp.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-4569 | 1525 Sherman St | 620 | 52 (Larimer) | D |
| Jenny Willford – Vice Chair | jenny.willford.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2931 | 1525 Sherman St | 628 | 34 (Adams) | D |
| Ken DeGraaf | ken.degraaf.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2927 | 1525 Sherman St | 637 | 22 (El Paso) | R |
| Ruby Dickson | Ruby.Dickson.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-5510 | 1525 Sherman St | 629 | 37 (Arapahoe) | D |
| Gabe Evans | gabe.evans.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2943 | Capitol | 317 | 48 (Adams, Weld) | R |
| Meg Froelich | meg.froelich.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2921 | Capitol | 332 | 3 (Arapahoe, Denver) | D |
| Alex Valdez | alex.valdez.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2925 | Capitol | 322 | 5 (Denver) | D |
| Elizabeth Velasco | elizabeth.velasco.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2949 | 1525 Sherman St | 631 | 57 (Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin) | D |
| Stephanie Vigil | stephanie.vigil.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2937 | 1525 Sherman St | 623 | 16 (El Paso) | D |
| Mike Weissman | mike.weissman.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2942 | Capitol | 314 | 36 (Adams, Arapahoe) | D |
| Ty Winter | ty.winter.house@coleg.gov | 303-866-2747 | 1525 Sherman St | 641 | 47 (Baca, Bent, Crowley, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo) | R |
In short: lobbying.
We also need to call, text, and email them. Setup meetings with their aids. And go in person to meet them face to face.
- Lobbying is fun, albeit it can be somewhat chaotic.
- The house chamber is located on the 2nd floor of the Capitol building. The public isn’t allowed in during regular session, but they can watch from the mezzanine level.
- There is literally a lobby available to the public immediately outside of the House chamber. During the legislative session, there will be dozens of paid lobbyists floating around. They’re fascinating to chat with.
- To speak to a legislator, take a business card, write the legislator’s name on it, and hand it to the usher. They’ll take it to the legislator. This lets them know you’re in the lobby and available to chat.
- When the legislator has time during session, they may step out to meet with you. This is a great opportunity to spend five minutes advocating for nuclear energy, offer to setup a second meeting, or drop off material for them to review later.
- Wait patiently! They may not come out immediately, but many of them will. During long sessions, they’ll often welcome the break to get off the floor and come chat with the public and lobbyists.
Colorado State Capitol
- Many of the representatives offices are actually in the the Capitol building.
- In order to get in, you’ll have to enter through a Visitor’s entrance. The Visitor’s entrance is on the ground floor on the south entrance and the first floor on the north entrance. There’s, of course, a TSA style security check point.
- All of the representatives offices are on floors 2 and 3. Note: the ground floor is floor 0.
1525 Sherman St.
- Some of the other representatives have their offices on the 6th floor of 1525 Sherman St, which is across Colfax on the North side of the Capitol building.
- Any rep with a 6## office number will have their office here. There are typically aids floating around who will be happy to chat and can help setup meetings with their legislator.