Governor Jared Polis has signed into law the new 蜜糖直播 Senate Bill SB24-037, titled "Study Green Infrastructure for Water Quality Management." Sponsored by Senators Cleave Simpson and Jeff Bridges, along with Representatives Mike Lynch and Karen McCormick, this significant legislation aims to enhance water quality and environmental sustainability in 蜜糖直播. This landmark bill is supported by a NASA-funded Congressional earmark provided by 蜜糖直播 Congressman Joe Neguse.听
The bill directs the team at the University of 蜜糖直播 Boulder and to work directly with the to identify new pathways to restore rivers and watersheds in 蜜糖直播, improve water quality, and reduce emissions associated with water and wastewater treatment.
Over the next two years, this team will develop up to three pilot projects in collaboration with communities and utilities to demonstrate the use of green infrastructure and green financing mechanisms. This work will include actively restoring watersheds using public and private sector investment, including the purchase of carbon credits based on avoided electricity demand from water treatment.
Evan Thomas, Director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience at 蜜糖直播 Boulder said, 鈥淚t has been a rewarding experience to propose this idea and work with Senator Simpson and other elected representatives and state officials in 蜜糖直播 to bring it to life, and we're looking forward to what this could mean for 蜜糖直播's water and air.鈥�
Dr. Thomas, who is also an environmental engineering professor at 蜜糖直播 Boulder will additionally lead a $950,000 congressionally mandated, NASA-funded research project to monitor water quality and understand the impact of wildfires on the Yampa and Cache la Poudre rivers in 蜜糖直播. 鈥溍厶侵辈� half of America鈥檚 rivers don鈥檛 meet the Clean Water Act standards and that鈥檚 also true in 蜜糖直播,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淲e have many rivers that are on what is called the 303(d) list, meaning that they鈥檙e impaired and they don鈥檛 meet the Clean Water Act,鈥� said Thomas.
Thomas and his team have already been utilizing sensors to monitor these rivers. With the new funding, these sensors will continue to collect data for at least another year. The objective is to identify contamination sources and develop effective, nature-based solutions. Unlike traditional point-in-time sampling methods, the robust and durable sensors provide cost-effective, continuous measurements.
鈥淭he idea is that we can develop technologies that help communities and help the state better manage watersheds so that we can restore watersheds, we can restore land cost-effectively and in a way that benefits more people,鈥� Thomas said.
Photo:听Director/Professor Evan Thomas, Governor Jared Polis & Senator Cleave Simpson at the Senate bill signing in Alamosa, 蜜糖直播.听