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Report: CO Energy Industry Gives Back Millions to Communities, Advances Environmental Innovation
This June the Colorado Oil & Gas Association released its updated 2023 Community Impact Report, showcasing the industry’s ongoing commitment to supporting Colorado communities and the sector’s continued advances in environmental innovation.
This year’s report again shows Colorado energy producers and their employees remain committed to driving down emissions and giving back to strengthen communities across the state.
Total Philanthropic Contributions
COGA’s updated 2023 report places strong emphasis on the industry’s longstanding commitment to supporting communities across Colorado, especially those where energy team members live and work. The report emphasized investments from the industry are tailored to each community’s unique needs, ensuring support impacts as many lives as possible.
Key highlights of COGA members’ efforts show:
Employees across COGA’s network served over 53,000 hours for Coloradan nonprofits.
Over $16 million was raised and invested back into the community in 2023.
$86 million has been cumulatively donated between 2017 and 2023.
Colorado’s oil & gas industry volunteered 53,000 hours, raised $16M for communities, and supported 400 non-profits last year. Together, we drive progress, support communities, and create a brighter future for Colorado. pic.twitter.com/nepMzUUnkb
Over 400 nonprofits were directly supported by these actions, including projects like Operation Warm in Aurora and the Food Bank of the Rockies:
Heading into a super-cold weekend
, we’re grateful for community partners like @Civitas_Res and @OperationWarm. Last month, they donated more than 1,000 coats so that every student at Altura & Laredo Elementary Schools has a warm coat this winter.
Building on their pledge to increase understanding and support of marginalized communities, COGA members also made significant progress in advancing equity and investment in underserved communities.
76 percent of surveyed COGA members strategically invested in disproportionately impacted communities. Additionally, 68 percent of them contributed to nonprofits that support underserved populations.
COGA’s report argues that these commitments are essential tools in driving innovation, ideas, safety, personal belonging, and the competitive advantages needed for the success and future growth of the industry.
Environmental Progress and Emissions Reduction
As the fourth largest crude oil producer and the eighth largest natural producer in the U.S., Colorado is a force in the U.S. oil and gas industry. COGA members are ensuring the state’s position as a top producer is also used as a platform to advance environmental innovation.
Natural gas, like that produced in Colorado, helped drive down energy-related emissions by three percent nationally in 2023, with 80 percent of emissions reductions largely due to natural gas and solar displacing higher carbon intensity energy.
The energy sector is also leading the way driving down industry emissions in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis’s updated Greenhouse Gas Roadmap released earlier this year underscores how Colorado energy producers are exceeding the stringent emission reduction targets set by the state.
The Polis Administration recently released version 2.0 of Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap, highlighting that the oil and gas industry is leading the way on emissions reductions in Colorado. Read the full announcement here: https://t.co/c8dbg0WH59. pic.twitter.com/wWsqhOGFFf