SB 25-137

Senate Bill 25-137, also known as "Greenhouse Gas Credits for Water Quality Projects," allows owners or operators of water quality projects to sell greenhouse gas credits they generate through their work. These credits can be traded in a program established by the Air Quality Control Commission. To participate, project owners must have an independent auditor certify the credits before selling them. The Department of Public Health and Environment will oversee these transactions and allow regulated facilities to buy these credits to meet their own greenhouse gas reduction goals. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now active and being implemented in Colorado.

Official Summary

The bill authorizes the owner or operator of a water quality green infrastructure project (project) to sell or trade any greenhouse gas credits (GHG credit) created by the project in the GHG credit trading program (trading program) that is established by the air quality control commission (AQCC) by rule. The owner or operator that is conducting a project shall pay an independent third-party auditor to certify the GHG credits created by the project in order to sell or transfer those GHG credits in the trading program. The division of administration in the department of public health and environment (division) shall monitor the sale and transfer of the GHG credits created from a project in the trading program and permit owners and operators of facilities that are regulated by the AQCC and the division and participating in the trading program to purchase the GHG credits in order to reach certain greenhouse gas compliance targets. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)