Colorado’s Stance on Preserving Dark Skies

Governor Jared Polis signed a proclamation establishing June 2023 as “Dark Sky Month” in Colorado in recognition of the growing problem of light pollution. Appropriately, the Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus is urging for darker skies and designation within the Roaring Fork Watershed.

“Colorado is trying to preserve a legacy of the West, and more towns are realizing the value of going dark sky for economics and health,” Colorado IDA chapter chairman Ryan Parker said. “We have massive regions now that want to go dark sky. And even in cities more residents are becoming aware of a need to turn off their lights because of how light is affecting nature, including migratory birds.

Colorado’s movement began in 2015 in Custer County, where towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff received a joint certification, followed by Norwood in 2019 and Ridgway in 2020. Today there are 15 Dark Sky Parks, Monuments, Places and Communities in Colorado :

Advocates are also establishing two broader regional dark zones in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and west of the San Juan Mountains extending to the Utah border are drawing support from ranchers and farmers concerned about losing “pioneer heritage.”