COLORADO INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

The COVID-19 emergency has thrown our country, and our state, into an unprecedented economic decline. While drastic public health measures have been necessary to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, these measures have triggered a near-total shutdown of the economy. Once the immediate public health crisis has passed, congressional leaders and White House officials have signaled that federal infrastructure spending will be a major priority.

President Trump and Speaker Pelosi have both expressed support for $2 trillion in infrastructure spending. For Colorado, this presents a historic opportunity – and an urgent need – to identify key projects for consideration by Congress and the White House in any future infrastructure program.

To address this need, Colorado Concern has organized a coalition of business and civic leaders, non-profit organizations, local government officials and state legislative leaders that will provide these federal policymakers with the guidance and support they need to maximize the impact of a national infrastructure program in Colorado.

OUR MISSION

Putting Colorado back to work and bringing the communities of our state closer together through immediate, enduring and equitable investments in economic, environmental and social infrastructure. We will reinforce the efforts of public officials and private sector leaders to build a strong, prosperous and resilient future for our state.

IMMEDIATE: Work should begin quickly, because Coloradans need jobs.

ENDURING: Projects that provide long-term value should be our priority. Even if they take years to complete, work can start now, and a multi-year pipeline of projects will provide certainty and stability to the state’s economic outlook.

EQUITABLE: While not every community can – or should – receive exactly the same level or kind of investment, we will strive to make our recommendations fair in terms of geographic, socioeconomic, racial, cultural and other factors.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COLORADO INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

Download the “TOGETHER WE BUILD: How Federal Infrastructure Investments Can Put Coloradans Back To Work” report and appendices.

CO-CHAIRS

Dr. Jandel Allen-Davis – President & CEO of Craig Hospital
Gary Arnold – Business Manager of Denver Pipefitters Local 208
Sara Blackhurst – President & CEO of Action 22
Kevin Bommer – Executive Director of CML
Debbie Brown – President of Colorado Business Roundtable
Kim Day – CEO of Denver International Airport
Mike Ferrufino – President & CEO of the Denver Hispanic Chamber
Tim Foster – President of Colorado Mesa University
Peter Groff – Principal & Chief Strategist at MCG2 Consulting, LLC
Roger Hutson – President & CEO of HRM Resources III, LLC
John Ikard – Board Member of FirstBank
Alice Jackson – President of Xcel Energy Colorado
Gail Klapper – Member & President of the Colorado Forum

Mike Kopp – President & CEO of Colorado Concern
Jan Kulmann – Mayor of Thornton
Dominick Moreno – State Senator
Adam Paul – Mayor of Lakewood
Bob Rankin – State Senator
Dan Ritchie – President of Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation
Alan Salazar – Chief of Staff for Mayor Michael Hancock
John Suthers – Mayor of Colorado Springs
Tom Norton – Former CDOT Executive Director
Wellington Webb – Former Mayor of Denver
Laura Weinberg – Mayor of Golden 
Chris Wright – CEO & Chairman of Liberty Oilfield

SUBCOMMITTEES

Education Infrastructure Subcommittee

Co-Chair: Tim Foster – President of Colorado Mesa University
Co-Chair: Peter Groff – Principal and Chief Strategist at MCG2 Consulting, LLC
Janine Davidson – President at Metro State University of Denver 
Shaun Egan – President & CEO at Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services
Denise Goldin-Dubois – Secondary STEM and Innovation Math Coach at Cherry Creek Schools
Gail Klapper – President of the Colorado Forum
Russell Noles – Board of Trustees for Metro State University
Colleen O’Brien – Executive Director of Teacher Learning at Jefferson CountyPublic Schools
Dan Ritchie – President of Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation
Wellington Webb – Former Mayor of Denver

Energy and the Environment Subcommittee

Co-Chair: Leslie Dalkemper – Jefferson County Commissioner
Co-Chair: Alice Jackson – President Xcel Energy Colorado
Co-Chair: Chris Wright – CEO & Chairman of Liberty Oilfield
Lise Aangeenbrug – Executive Director of Outdoor Industry Association
Brent Anderson – CEO of International Risk Group
Audrey Barrios – MarCom Manager of Liberty Oilfield
Sara Blackhurst – Executive Director of Action 22
Eric Blank – Co-Founder of Community Energy
Bill Byers – Retired Board Chair of Grand Valley Power
Chris Castilian – Executive Director of Great Outdoors Colorado
Jon Chase – Vice President of Public Affairs of Vesta American Wind Technology, Inc.
Shaun Egan – President & CEO at Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services
Duane Highley – CEO of TriState Generation and Transmission
Reuben Munger – Managing Partner of Vision Ridge Partners
John Nielsen – Clean Energy Program Director of Western Resource Advocates
Rikki Seguin – Executive Director of Interwest Energy Alliance
Kent Singer – Executive Director of Rural Electric
Wade Troxell – Mayor of Fort Collins

Local Commerce and Communications Infrastructure Subcommittee

Chair: Adam Paul – Mayor of Lakewood
Sara Blackhurst – President & CEO of Action 22
Robin Brown – Executive Director at the Grand Junction Economic Partnership
Shaun Egan – President & CEO of Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services
Mike Ferrufino – President & CEO at the Denver Hispanic Chamber
Dave Gruber – Aurora City Councilman
George Merritt – Senior Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Denver International Airport

Transportation Infrastructure Subcommittee

Chair: Mike Kopp – President & CEO of Colorado Concern
Kevin Bommer – Executive Director at CML
Bernie Buescher – Former JBC member and Colorado Transportation Commission member
Morgan Cullen – Legislative and Policy Advocate at CML
Jeffrey Cummings – Owner & President at CML
Curtis Edwards – Climate Advocate at Conservation Colorado
Shaun Egan – President & CEO at Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services
Greg Fulton – President at Colorado Motor Carriers Association
Matt Gray – State Representative
Troy Hill – President of Hill Petroleum
Jason Lincoln – President of Colorado Airport Operators Association
George Merritt – Senior Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Denver International Airport
Chris Nelder – Manager of Mobility Practice at Rocky Mountain Institute
Tom Norton – Former CDOT Director
Sal Pace – Pueblo Politician
Elizabeth Stolfus – Owner of Stulfus & Associates
Wellington Webb – Former Mayor of Denver

Water Infrastructure Subcommittee

Co-Chair: Terry Fankhauser – Executive Vice President of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Co-Chair: Brian Jackson – Senior Manager of Western Water at Environmental Defense Fund
Kevin Bommer – Executive Director of CML
Devon Buckles – Director of The Water Connection
Shaun Egan – President & CEO of Iron Woman Construction and Environmental Services
Mike King – Former Executive Director of Natural Resources
Bart Miller – Healthy Rivers Program Director at Western Resource Advocates
Bob Rankin – State Senator
Russell Schnitzer – Senior Program Officer of Natural Resources at the Gates Family Foundation
Jeff Shoemaker – Executive Director at The Greenway Foundation
Heather Stauffer – Legislative and Policy Advocate at CML
Chris Treese – Former Colorado River District External Affairs Manager