Keeping Progress Rolling On

When I was getting ready for the new year, I wanted to bring two important reforms to Colorado in 2007: give Coloradans a break on sky-rocketing energy costs, and help make prescription drugs affordable.

As you have seen throughout this newsletter, Colorado has made some serious progress on both these fronts. Gov. Ritter’s first act as governor was to sign a measure to help get lower drug prices for people on Medicaid, and to investigate joining a multi-state purchasing pool.

Colorado has taken steps forward to invest in efficiency in order to save energy and money.

Who would have thought I’d realize my new year’s resolutions in April?

But before I book my vacation, there are some new challenges coming up on the horizon.

The Bush administration is trying to take away some of our most critical public health measures, the public’s right-to-know about toxic chemicals. Communities deserve to know if toxic chemicals are being stored or dumped around them—but the powerful companies that use these chemicals think its bad P.R., and don’t want to bother with comprehensive safety inventories.

Bush’s proposed rollbacks would keep communities, emergency responders and state regulators in the dark. Despite overwhelming public opposition, the administration is proceeding with its plan to allow polluters to withhold information about the toxic pollution they release into our communities and environment.

This summer, dozens of young people will spend their summer as canvassers for CoPIRG, knocking on doors across Colorado to talk with you about our campaign to protect communities from toxic chemicals. If they haven’t already, one will probably be visiting you soon.

Over the years, our summer canvass has gotten thousands of Colorado residents to take political action by simply having a conversation—and in more than 30 years of work, this has been the single biggest factor in the success of our work.

Thanks for all your support.

Rex T. Wilmouth