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Denver, CO—Today, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) voted to adopt rules that will reduce methane from municipal solid waste landfills in Colorado. Landfills are the state’s third‑largest source of climate‑warming methane pollution after oil and gas and agriculture.
Moms Clean Air Force has been advocating for stronger methane protections and supports the progress that was made during this rulemaking. This landfill methane rule improves protections at Colorado landfills by increasing monitoring for leaks, strengthening requirements for how methane gas is captured and destroyed, ensuring landfills are adequately covered so methane can not escape, and phasing out open flares. Cutting methane also reduces harmful co‑pollutants that affect our children’s health. With this decision, Colorado joins states including California, Oregon, and Michigan – setting the path for more states to pass protective landfill methane regulations.
In response to the adoption of the new landfill methane rule, Laurie Anderson, Moms Clean Air Force Colorado Field Organizer released the following statement:
“By adopting the landfill methane rule, Colorado is taking an important step to protect our children’s health and future. Landfills are a major source of methane and harmful co-pollutants that can trigger asthma and other respiratory conditions in kids. These new rules will improve air quality and cut climate-warming pollution, helping us achieve the clean air and safe climate our children deserve – while demonstrating that Colorado is committed to safeguarding both for generations to come.
“While these rules are a positive step forward, more work remains. Even the strongest landfill methane rule cannot solve the problem alone since we must also reduce waste at the source – keeping organic material out of Colorado’s landfills. Today we celebrate this win, and tomorrow we will continue advocating for waste reduction programs and stronger protections – in Colorado and across the nation – to ensure our children breathe clean air and inherit a livable climate.”