The integrity of our buildings and infrastructure continues to be highlighted as an important focus not only within Colorado, but across the nation as well. As Colorado continues to navigate pressures such as population growth and housing availability/affordability, 2024’s legislation focused heavily on the intersection of infrastructure development, community and economic growth, and transportation planning. There was also a strong emphasis on maintaining existing infrastructure, which faces increasing challenges from changing environmental conditions. The strategies outlined in this Priority Implementation Area seek to reduce vulnerabilities related to Colorado’s infrastructure and build climate-ready communities that are less prone to hazards and future disruptions.
Buildings and Infrastructure Sustainability Strategies
Strategy 1: Integrate resiliency in State infrastructure funding.
Strategy 2: Improve infrastructure and land use coordination.
Strategy 3: Establish model climate-resilient infrastructure standards.
Strategy 4: Ensure climate-resilient critical infrastructure.
Strategy 5: Promote adaptive reuse and retrofitting.
Strategy 6: Grow a network of resiliency hubs.
Colorado IIJA and IRA Successes
The passing of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022 paved the way for historic investments in infrastructure across the nation. Colorado set up systems to support our state and local communities in drawing down this funding. Here is a snapshot of where we currently are in 2024:
- Over $8.5B has been awarded in the state from IIJA and IRA.
- Almost $2.5B has been awarded to Tribes, local governments, and other local entities.
To further break down these significant numbers, the Governor’s Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives (formerly the Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery) manages a dashboard that tracks where IIJA and IRA funds have been awarded or announced for Colorado projects. Awards announced through mid-September 2024 include $1.07B allocated toward broadband projects, $860M toward clean water, $245M toward transportation safety, and $752M toward climate resilience!
See Colorado's IIJA and IRA Dashboard for More Funding Award Data
To support local entities in pursuing funding opportunities, Colorado has established the following resources through the Governor’s Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives and other State agency partners:
- Regional Grant Navigators (Governor’s Office)
- Department of Local Affairs Local Match Program (LOMA)
- Grant writing and project planning (Governor’s Office)
- Bi-weekly Office Hours and Newsletter (Governor’s Office)
- Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Technical Assistance for water projects
- Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) technical assistance for Renewable Energy for Agricultural Producers and Rural Small Businesses (REAP)
Learn More About the Colorado's IIJA and IRA Progress IIJA and IRA Resources and Support Local Community Funding Guide
- “Housing in Transit-Oriented Communities” (SB24-1313) passed in 2024, and aims to increase the development of housing for Coloradans of all budgets in transit-oriented communities.
- The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has been tasked with implementation of SB24-1313, working closely with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Colorado Energy Office (CEO) to develop comprehensive tools and technical assistance to support communities in their implementation.
- DOLA is developing an infrastructure grant program to support subject jurisdictions and communities that opt in.
- Through this legislation, CDOT was engaged to identify how best to incentivize neighborhood centers through grant funding opportunities by 2026, as well as conduct a study on policy that can define and support neighborhood centers.
- CDOT continued to pursue the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act’s (IIJA) Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program discretionary grant opportunities. To ensure that PROTECT programmatic funding is invested in resilient projects,CDOT uses their internally developed resilience assessment tools and method. CDOT’s Risk and Resilience Program coordinates with five regions, and the regions coordinate with local jurisdictions to identify good resilience investment opportunities. Additionally, CDOT recently submitted a Resilience Improvement Plan to the Federal Highway Administration for their approval in alignment with the IIJA.
- In spring of 2023, CDOT Regions 3 and 5 faced several pipe failures leading to roadway closures and emergency response. The Transportation Commission provided $65M in federal redistribution funds from fall 2023 to be used to repair or replace corrugated metal pipes with varying degrees of deterioration. In 2024, $65M was distributed to the regions for mitigation and repair.
- 2024 saw an additional 17 awards for grid hardening projects through the Microgrids for Community Resilience (MCR) Program, Grid Hardening for Small and Rural Communities, and Advanced Grid Monitoring programs by the State and Federal governments by the end of 2024. This funding represents $13.25M of awarded funding in these projects from federal, state, and local funding sources. Additionally, another $14.3M of funding between these three programs opened to applicants in the fall of 2024.
- Additional funding was awarded to the Colorado Energy Office in 2024 through the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grants that will support energy code adoption, particularly for staff capacity as part of the Local Government Accelerator Program.
- The Colorado Resiliency Office (CRO), the Governor’s Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives, the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery, and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) collaborated with a consultant to investigate funding needs and identify solutions to better help Colorado communities develop competitive projects that can secure funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program). An Energy and Climate Federal Funds Officer position was established within the Governor’s Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives to support local governments in pursuing BRIC and similar funding opportunities.
- Inspired by New York’s Climate Smart Communities model, the CRO and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) are collaborating to develop a Local Government Climate Action tool and associated program to support local communities in pursuing climate mitigation and adaptation projects.
- In 2024, CDOT participated in a pilot program to apply a climate-informed science approach (CISA) to their hydrology projects to determine how this can lead to broader climate-informed infrastructure development. CDOT has set aside 2% of PROTECT formula funds for planning purposes, which include the ongoing development of a Wildfire Playbook and development of a climate data research roadmap. In addition, CDOT participates in the Whole of State Critical Infrastructure Transportation Subcommittee. CDOT continues to implement 2 CCR 601-22, which established the Rules Governing Statewide Transportation Planning Process and Transportation Planning Regions in 2022. The rule holds metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and CDOT accountable for GHG emissions from regionally significant transportation projects and requires that reasonable mitigation strategies be implemented to offset potential increases to GHG as a result of the project. CDOT continues to implement the rule requirements on regionally significant projects identified in their strategic 10 Year Plan.
- Last year DOLA implemented the first ever Climate Resilience Challenge, a set aside fund through the Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund (EIAF), which supported bold climate projects in local communities. Some of the awarded resilience hubs are featured in the White House’s Climate Resilience Game Changers Assessment!
- The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) in collaboration with the CRO developed the Colorado Microgrids Roadmap, which will be released at the beginning of 2025. This roadmap evaluates the role of microgrid systems in ensuring all Coloradoans have access to reliable and resilient electrical service.