President Biden’s rescheduled visit to Pueblo set for Wednesday will discuss the new Colorado based climate programs that residents hope will help the entire community reinvent itself from decades of industry pollution and environment harming action. This is an opportunity for residents to be included in climate converse, which has not historically always been the situation. As a Pueblo resident, I hope this opportunity will be impactful and well used.
Pueblo is increasingly being seen as an area that will be revitalized by newly instated federal funding targeted toward green energy. President Biden’s “Investing in America” program is just one governmental action targeting the climate crisis. Pueblo, with much of its past economic foundation being supported by heavy polluting industries, is now receiving funding (such as a $3 million award from the DOE to support research and marketing for a possible Pueblo-based direct carbon capture hub) to heal the community from the economic and environmental fallout from when these industries became less favored.
Through all this impressive news, there is a lingering question: “What do the people of Pueblo think?” There is an unfortunate lack in acknowledging the voices of those most affected, who will continue to be affected, by the significantly impactful decisions being implemented.
I have only recently had the opportunity to call Pueblo my home. After more than 10 years living in Boulder, my family decided to make the move to Pueblo this year. It immediately felt more like home to us. The tight-knit community who all seem to know each other, who are all working toward bettering Pueblo, and the beautiful scenery in a warm climate felt like a great fit for the place we wanted to call home.
As a sophomore at Cornell University studying environment and sustainability, it is clear that many communities are at least partially interested in learning more about the climate crisis. Especially when it is directly impacting their lives as it is for the people of Pueblo. Pueblo’s culture around the environment is not so different from Boulder — one of Colorado’s leaders when it comes to environmental action. My parents own a little store by Northern Avenue and people come in after a shift at one of the many construction sites nearby or a shift at the mill, and they will turn away a plastic bag. Puebloans often repeat the message of not wanting to hurt our Earth with more plastic.
Pueblo is a poignant representation of a community that has suffered disproportionately from environmental degradation, with marginalized people suffering the most from the effects of industrial pollutants and carbon emissions. Impacts of additional carbon dioxide infiltrating the atmosphere largely affect people who are already grappling with economical and social inequalities and health hazards. It’s the families living near the steel mill, the children in neighborhoods with poor air quality, and the low-income families who are hit the hardest.
To address the climate crisis effectively, the voices of those most affected must be heard and valued. Adhering to environmental justice requires accounting for the specific needs and concerns of marginalized communities as we would any other group of people. It’s not just about mitigating the damage; it’s about empowering communities to be part of the solution.
Colorado is actively pursuing carbon capture and storage in response to environmental challenges in Pueblo. The plan involves capturing millions of tons of carbon dioxide and storing it underground in a few counties, one being Pueblo.
However, since private investors are a key player in carbon capture, climate activists pointed out that the private investors would be paid for the drilling and eventual storage setup. Therefore, they would be able to take advantage of the approximately $85 per ton of carbon federal tax credit allowed by Inflation Reduction Act energy programs.
Jamie Valdez, a key organizer with the environmental justice group Mothers Out Front, has been a tireless advocate for environmental justice, and his message is clear: Carbon capture and other modern industries should not further burden communities that have already been overburdened. His stance echoes the sentiment of countless individuals and organizations working to ensure that climate action serves the interests of all, not just a privileged few.
We need to allow space for every community, every person to share their voice. By keeping ourselves open to listening, and in turn publicizing issues, critically viewing new ideas or programs, and sharing information will allow us to incorporate more voices into the climate crisis. Keep some of the funding to communicate climate change and inform current climate topics to the people of Pueblo. Ask for officials to intentionally seek out their voices, they need to be heard.
When President Biden comes to Pueblo to discuss this plan to fight climate change, come listen. Then ask questions. And if you happen to be a part of the affected community, your voice is needed and wanted. Climate action that leaves behind the very people most impacted by climate change is not action at all — it’s an extension of the same inequalities that have brought us to this point.
Nini Kaur is a sophomore at Cornell University studying environment and sustainability with a concentration in sustainable business and environmental economy. Nini has taken time off school to study and work with climate change mitigation groups in Tanzania and Costa Rica, graduating from Fairview High School in 2021. She grew up in Colorado with her family living here for over 15 years.
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