Commissioners Say New Mandates Could Hurt Rural Communities
Trevor Phipps
The Teller County commissioners are challenging a controversial mandate issued by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) aimed at eliminating natural gas as a heating and cooking source for residents.
Moreover, they are labeling this as another attempt to force rural areas to abide by big city-oriented regulations that squash their way of life and hit residents with an explosion of new expenses.
In a recent meeting, the Teller elected panel approved a counter resolution that directly opposes the state’s attack on natural gas.
On Dec. 1, the PUC approved a statewide Clean Heat framework that would require Excel and other utility companies that supply natural gas to homes for heating and cooking to cut carbon emissions by 41 percent by the year 2035. In addition, utility companies must reach 100 percent de-carbonization by 2050.
“To meet the goals, utilities, regulators and policymakers must help hundreds of thousands of homeowners and landlords in Colorado switch from gas-fired heating systems to electric heat pumps and cooking appliances powered by clean, renewable solar and wind technology,” the Colorado Sun reported, in describing the requirement.
However, the Teller County commissioners are blasting this approach, classifying the policy as just another broad “rubber stamp” rule coming from the state that won’t work as well in rural areas as it might in cities in the Front Range. Therefore, the commissioners enthusiastically drafted a new resolution, opposing the new mandate, and sent this measure directly to the desk of Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
During a meeting in early December, the commissioners brought up major problems with this green energy mandate, such as the fact that electric heating pumps do not operate well at high elevations. They also said that the new policy could have economic impacts locally, since companies like Black Hill Energy only supply natural gas in some areas. This could force them to shut down eventually.
County Commissioner Erik Stone said that the new mandates will basically force utility companies to force homeowners to get rid of natural gas furnaces and cooking stoves. Propane heating sources or community co-op organizations wouldn’t be affected. Instead, only private natural gas companies would face the brunt of these new regulations.
“The impact on rural Colorado I believe will be greater than the impact on urban Colorado,” Stone said.
County Commission Chairman Dan Williams agreed and said that electricity isn’t always the best option for those living in the high mountains especially those who have off-the-grid homes. He also said that he believes the mandate violates the Colorado State Constitution by taking away personal liberties.
During public comment on the drafting of this resolution, Carl Andersen, a local construction company owner and a county commissioner candidate in the 2026 race, thanked the commissioners for taking their strong stance against the state mandate. “I just wanted to say thank you for taking this step,” Andersen said. “This is classic government overreach. And yes it will have an impact on our affordable housing and our residents in Teller County.”
Main Reasons to Oppose New State Mandate
In taking this action, the county commissioners emphasize that the mandate will impose big impacts on residents. And since electricity is more expensive per unit than other types of heat, basically all heating and electricity bills will go up.
“The utilities’ own filings estimate that retrofitting an existing home for all-electric heating and appliances can exceed $20,000 per home (before incentives),” the commissioners state in the resolution.
The measure also notes that residents in rural areas of Teller County have historically had issues of obtaining “reliable, affordable electricity — particularly in inclement weather, winter conditions, or during wildfire-related outages.
The commissioners said that many residences and businesses operate with using alternative fuel sources such as wood, natural gas and propane. Taking away their right to do so “threatens the economic well-being, energy, security, and personal freedom of County residents,” added the commissioners, in their new resolution.
“The County affirms and defends the right of its residents and businesses to choose how they power their homes and operations, including but not limited to natural gas, propane, wood, renewable off-grid electricity, or any other lawful energy source,” the resolution reads. “The County recognizes that rural and mountain communities like Teller County face unique challenges — including unreliable grid connectivity, harsh winters, wildfire risk, and limited economic resources — which make a one-size-fits-all electrification mandate inappropriate, unfair, and harmful.”
In essence, the commissioners are requesting that state officials revise the anti-natural gas mandate and adopt a more “flexible” and equitable” policy. The resolution did say that the county supports and encourages voluntary adoption of clean energy and efficiency measures, such as weatherization, solar, wood-heat or hybrid systems. But the county takes a strong stand against mandatory requirements “that impose heavy costs and eliminate choice.”
Overall, by passing this resolution, the commissioners hope to make sure that local voices will be heard and considered, when the state makes broad energy policies. Copies of their resolution have been forwarded to the Colorado PUC, the governor, the Colorado General Assembly, and relevant utility providers.
