Across Colorado, and from sea to shining sea, mayors call for solar

DENVER – More than 200 mayors representing cities in every U.S. state, including Colorado, have signed on to Environment Colorado Research and Policy Center’s “Mayors for Solar Energy” letter, embracing a collective vision for solar-powered communities.

The group of 216 “Mayors for Solar Energy” includes seven current Colorado mayors – Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones, Breckenridge Mayor Eric Mamula, Golden Mayor Marjorie Sloan, Lafayette Mayor Christine Berg, Louisville Mayor Bob Muckle, Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larsen, and Telluride Mayor Sean Murphy – as well as two former mayors from the state.

“While our federal government is promoting 19th-century energy policies, we have to rely on local governments to lead the United States’ transition to modern clean energy usage,” says Garrett Garner-Wells, Director of Environment Colorado Research and Policy Center. “Mayors across the state and country are rising to the challenge — thinking bigger, acting smarter, and tapping the sun for more power.”

The list of mayors who signed the letter spans the political spectrum, including 25 Republicans, as well as a broad range of city sizes and budgets.

The number of signatures on the Mayors for Solar Energy letter has more than tripled since December of 2017, and Environment Colorado Research and Policy Center says that number will continue to grow. The Mayors for Solar Energy project goes beyond the letter itself, producing resources and hosting trainings to help cities adopt more renewable energy.

“Mayors know the needs of their townspeople better than anyone,” said Garner-Wells. “They know the existing infrastructure and how to adapt it to best allow solar and other forms of clean, renewable energy to displace the fossil fuels that pollute our communities and make our families sick. These are neighbors helping neighbors to a brighter future.”