Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-10-07
Colorado relies on natural gas today. It heats homes, powers businesses and remains part of the energy mix that keeps our communities running. Moving away from fossil fuels cannot happen overnight, and the transition must remain affordable and reliable for working families.
But none of that means natural gas belongs in the Colorado Constitution.
Grateful Web urges Colorado voters to vote no on Amendment 82, which would create a state constitutional right for consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking and heating—and for distributors and utilities to sell it.
This is not a vote on whether Coloradans may use natural gas tomorrow. Voting no would not shut off anyone’s furnace, remove anyone’s gas stove or prohibit businesses from using natural gas. A no vote simply maintains current law and preserves Colorado’s ability to make thoughtful energy decisions as technology, science and the needs of our communities evolve.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel. Although it often produces less carbon dioxide when burned than coal or oil, that does not make it clean or carbon-free. Burning natural gas releases greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, while methane leaks throughout its production and transportation can add significantly to its climate impact.
Colorado should be moving steadily toward cleaner energy—not placing a permanent constitutional shield around a polluting fuel.
Our state constitution should protect the fundamental rights of people. It should not guarantee a market for a particular fossil fuel or protect the business interests of companies selling it. Energy sources are technologies and commodities, not constitutional rights.
Amendment 82 could also make it more difficult for state and local governments to adopt or enforce future policies addressing pollution, public health, building efficiency and climate change. According to Colorado’s official ballot analysis, the measure may limit the ability of state or local governments to enforce existing or future natural-gas regulations.
That uncertainty alone is reason enough to reject it.
The energy landscape is changing rapidly. Heat pumps are becoming more efficient. Renewable power, battery storage, geothermal systems and building technologies continue to improve. Colorado should retain the freedom to take advantage of those advances rather than tying the hands of future voters, lawmakers and local communities.
Supporters argue that natural gas is affordable, reliable and essential during Colorado’s coldest weather. Those concerns deserve to be taken seriously. A responsible transition must protect low-income households, rural communities, workers and everyone who depends on a reliable energy system.
But maintaining access today is very different from declaring an enduring constitutional right to buy and sell natural gas.
Colorado can continue using natural gas where it is presently needed while also reducing that dependence over time. We can invest in weatherization and efficiency, strengthen the electrical grid, expand renewable energy and make cleaner heating technologies affordable and accessible. Those choices should remain available to each generation of Coloradans.
Once language is placed in the state constitution, changing it becomes deliberately difficult. We should not lock ourselves into yesterday’s fuel system when cleaner possibilities are already arriving.
Natural gas is part of Colorado’s present, but it does not have to define our future. Let us use it responsibly where necessary, continue weaning ourselves from fossil fuels and build an energy system that leaves cleaner air and a healthier climate for those who come after us.
Keep pollution out of Colorado’s constitution. Vote no on Amendment 82.
Learn more and get involved at No82.org.
