DENVER—Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen and Yadira Caraveo joined U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado Governor Jared Polis to celebrate the upcoming one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act’s passage and to highlight the law’s landmark investments in clean energy, domestic manufacturing, local economies, and the American people.
High quality, downloadable photos from the event are available here.
“Especially here in Colorado, we all understand the gravity of the situation we’re in with the climate crisis. We’ve felt the heat waves getting worse every summer, water is becoming even scarcer, and I hear from people across my district who fear that a wildfire might take away their home in an instant,” said Pettersen. “But because of the leadership and actions of Democrats in Congress and President Biden, we are making critical investments to address the most urgent challenge of our time. Honored to join Senator Bennet, Governor Polis, and Congresswoman Caraveo in celebrating the anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act and a more resilient, sustainable, and prosperous future for Colorado.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act is the most significant climate legislation that any country on the planet has ever passed, and Colorado had a big hand in not only passing this bill – but shaping it,” said Bennet. “This is a moment when we’re finally investing in America again, addressing our changing climate, leading the energy transition, and building an economy that when it grows – it grows for everyone, not just those at the top.”
“We’re thrilled that this historic federal funding backed by the majority of our federal delegation is supporting Colorado’s bold goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040. The federal law’s focus on climate change and saving people money on healthcare can help our administration deliver more results on these issues for Colorado families and individuals while helping create more good paying jobs,” said Polis.
“There’s an old saying: show me your budget and I’ll tell you what you value. Between the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, our government has sent a clear message about what we value; we’re investing in our communities and in our future,” said Caraveo. “There is no better model so far of the early benefits of these bills than Brighton. As an early recipient of a number of these projects, Brighton is poised to lead Colorado in clean energy manufacturing, and stands as an example for how these investments will benefit families and our local economy.”
Signed into law in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)made historic steps to confront climate change, advance clean energy, reduce the national deficit, and lower health care and prescription drug costs for hard-working Coloradans. The legislation has attracted significant investment to Colorado, including $150 million for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), $2 billion for wildfire risk reduction, $56 million for the construction of mine drainage water treatment facility and chemical storage building in Leadville, a $250 million investment from VSK Energy to build a solar panel manufacturing facility in Brighton, and a $400 million investment from Meyer Burger Technologies to build a solar cell manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs.
