DENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is proposing funding for free rail and bus transit during the state’s ozone pollution season as part of his 2022-23 budget request.
Colorado Public Radio reports the $28 million proposal is part of $424 million in air-quality projects in the budget request, which also includes $150 million for electric school buses, among other projects.
The budget says the request “will serve to save riders money, help rebuild ridership, and reduce driving.” Denver’s Regional Transportation District has endorsed the proposal and is working on plans for a free-fare program.
The move comes after residents of the front range experienced their worst ozone season in decades, with 65 “action day alerts” between May 31 and Aug. 31. Those alerts advise residents to avoid driving or using gas-powered lawn equipment. Three-year monitoring shows an average ozone level above the federal standard of 70 parts per billion, which will likely mean the U.S. Environmental Projection Agency labels the region a “severe” violator of those standards. That would require state rules to address sources of ozone, including oil and gas operations, factories, and vehicles.
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