(The Center Square) — With coal mines and coal-fueled power plants continuing to move toward closure in Colorado, the state’s Office of Just Transition is launching a program supporting the industry’s workers.
The program will provide free, personalized support to workers to help them plan their next steps — whether that means reskilling, starting a business, planning for retirement or exploring new opportunities.
“This is an important moment reflecting Colorado’s commitment to its workforce,” said Wade Buchanan, director of the OJT. “Our goal is to partner with families to navigate this transition in a way that reflects their values, priorities and long-term goals. We want workers to know that OJT is open for business.”
The program will be available to coal mine and power plant workers and their families, as well as those employed by certain supply chain businesses directly impacted by industry changes.
OJT estimates that more than 1,700 coal and supply-chain workers will be eligible for these services statewide.
Of those, 77% will likely be concentrated in three counties in the northwest corner of Colorado: Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt. The other 23% will be mostly in Montrose, Morgan and Pueblo counties.
“The Office of Just Transition provided important resources to communities to help create good-paying jobs and boost local economies,” said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis of the package. “Our administration will continue to support communities in Northwest Colorado to help build a better and resilient future.”
This all comes as Colorado is slowly phasing out the last of its coal-fueled electrical power plants, as previously reported by The Center Square.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Energy reports that six coal-fired power plants remain operational throughout the state. All of them are set to close by the end of 2031. Seven coal mines remain open.
The department reports the transition away from coal is coming.
“For a variety of reasons, the use of coal has been declining for more than a decade. That trend is likely to accelerate,” it said. “The era of coal in Colorado appears to be ending, and that poses serious challenges to the workers and communities that rely on it.”
The OJT was first opened by the legislature in 2019, as part of the state’s commitment to prioritize a “just transition” for coal workers and communities.
Some advocates remain skeptical of the move away from coal, and even the state acknowledges its role in energy production.
In 2023, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported coal-fired power plants accounted for 32% of Colorado’s total in-state energy generation.
While down significantly from 68% in 2010, that is still a notable portion of the state’s energy generation.
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Additionally, a 2022 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration found that, between coal, petroleum and natural gas, coal produced the least amount of the state’s carbon dioxide emissions.
The report found that almost all of coal’s emissions were due to the electric power sector, while petroleum’s was from transportation, and natural gas was almost evenly distributed throughout the sectors, including electric power.