The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment apparently believes the carrot is going to work better than the stick when it comes to getting large companies in metro Denver to reduce the number of employees commuting to work in single-occupancy, gas-burning vehicles.
The department Monday sent a letter to stakeholders stating: “After reviewing the various prehearing statements in this rulemaking, the state recognizes that many of the businesses, employees, and local communities that will be impacted by the rule have concerns about the Employer Traffic Reduction Program . as currently proposed.”
Chambers of commerce and business groups in metro Denver opposed the proposed rules and regulations as too expensive, too time consuming and overreaching in scope. The employers said the state wanted them to track employees on their off time as they commuted to the workplace.
The state of Colorado wants all large businesses in the metro Denver area to track what their employees do before and after work when it comes to commuting.
It wants those employers to “increase parking charges” for gas-powered vehicles, appoint an “Employee Transportation Coordinator” to administer programs that reduce “single occupied vehicle” commutes and offer fully or partially subsidized public transportation passes – even if the business is no where near any.
And it wants those plans from 2,764 businesses with some 900,000 employees – which could cost anywhere from $7,200-$811,643 annually to implement – by Jan. 1, 2022, according to state records.
By MARIANNE GOODLAND
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
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