I’m not going to go out and say the sky is falling and that climate change is happening, but I’m very concerned about the risk of climate change. That many smart people are that worried, that I’d be a fool not to be concerned.”

A former geologist, Hickenlooper had expressed skepticism of the overwhelming scientific consensus about global warming at a speech before mining executives during the 2010 campaign. “I don’t think that the scientific community has decided with certainty that climate change is as catastrophic as so many people think,” he said.

That year, approximately 100,000 spruce trees a day were killed by a spruce beetle infestation spurred by warming temperatures in Colorado.

Also in 2010, ThinkProgress Green interviewed some of Colorado’s many climate scientists to respond to global warming conspiracy theorist Ken Buck, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. “There is no controversy about the role human actions have made to alter the climate system through the emissions of greenhouse gases over the past 150 years,” Dennis Ojima, chair of Colorado State’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory and a senior scholar with the Heinz Center said.

“It’s very likely it’s disruptive to anything we’re doing and take for granted at the moment,” Caspar M. Ammann, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research cautioned.

In 2009, Hickenlooper wasn’t as scornful of the scientific threat of carbon pollution from fossil fuels, instead calling it “one of the greatest challenges of our time.” Writing in the forward for “How the West Was Warmed,” Hickenlooper said that “the Rocky Mountain region is a showcase for both the most immediate and most dramatic impacts of global warming, from the mountain pine beetle epidemic to shrinking glaciers.”

(HT Colorado Independent)

But there is even more troubling news for Romney. As ThinkProgress has noted, Republican turnout has been down in virtually every primary so far, suggesting a lack of enthusiasm for Romney and the rest of the GOP field. But last night’s results are far more severe. Turnout was not just down but down tremendously, and in many places, Romney was unable to capture anywhere close to as many votes as he won in 2008.

Romney won Colorado with 60 percent of the vote four years ago, and its demographics favored the candidate, but this year, Romney won just 34.9 percent of the vote, coming 6 points shy of Santorum. In Minnesota, which Romney won with 41 percent of the vote in 2008, he won just 16.9 percent last night — coming in third behind Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX). And in Missouri, Romney was down slightly, from 29 percent in 2008 to 25.3 percent last night.

Looking at the vote totals, instead of percentages, which takes into account voter turnout, the numbers are even worse for Romney, as this graphic produced by ThinkProgress’ Adam Peck shows:

In some places, Romney’s collapse was even more stunning. As the New York Times’ Nate Silver noted, “Romney’s stronger areas in [Colorado] were associated with turnout declines of about 20 percent. But turnout was steady or slightly up in places where Rick Santorum did well.” For instance, in Pueblo County, where turnout was actually up, Romney took just 27 percent of the vote — a huge drop from the 62 percent he won in 2008. And in the Denver suburbs, which Romney won, he was still way down from 2008. In Douglas County, Romney went from 72 percent in 2008 to 46 percent; in Arapaho County, he went from 66 percent to 45 percent; and in Jeffferson County, he went from 65 percent to 39 percent.

Romney won comfortably in earlier primaries in Florida and Nevada, but only after drowning his competitors in millions of dollars of negative advertising. Romney’s campaign did not invest heavily in last night’s primaries, suggesting the candidate may have hard time winning on his own, without spending huge amounts to destory his competition in every state.

The results also seem to confirm the findings of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, which showed that the more people learn about Mitt Romney, the less they like him.

This morning ThinkProgress Green reported on Mitt Romney’s statement to the Reno Gazette-Journal that he doesn’t know “what the purpose is” of public lands.  Romney is scheduled to attend a rally in Colorado tomorrow, where recent polling shows Coloradans have a clear sense of what purpose public lands serve in their state.  Here are a few facts to consider:

-  Coloradans view public lands as essential to their state’s economy. A recent poll from the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project found that 93 percent of voters in the state believe that “our national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas are an essential part of Colorado’s economy.”  This includes 75 percent of people who support the Tea Party. [Colorado College, 1/30/12]

-  Coloradans feel that public lands are essential to their quality of life. The Colorado College poll also asked whether voters agreed with the statement that “our national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas are an essential part of Colorado’s quality of life.”  The response was overwhelming, with 97 percent of Coloradans agreeing. [Colorado College, 1/30/12]

-  Interior Department activities in Colorado leverage $8.3 billion every year.  This includes oil, gas, mining, recreation, timber, grazing, and other uses.  This number does not include lands managed by the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. [Interior Department, 6/21/11]

-  Some of America’s most treasured natural places are located on Colorado public lands. Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak, Great Sand National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and the Maroon Bells are just a few of examples of the dozens of places that are protected for all of us to enjoy.  Tourism in Rocky Mountain National Park alone supported nearly 4,000 jobs in 2009. [Headwaters Economics, 2011]

-  Recreation opportunities abound on Colorado’s public lands.  Nearly every ski area in Colorado is on public lands, including Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge.  Additionally, families across the state can boat down the Cache la Poudre River (a Wild and Scenic River managed by the Forest Service), see golden eagles at Colorado National Monument, and can even camp in a Forest Service campground after catching the jams at the world-famous Telluride Bluegrass Festival.  Recreation on Interior Department lands in Colorado provided $1.3 billion in economic benefits in 2010. [Interior Department, 6/21/11]

-  Outdoor recreation – a $10 billion economy in Colorado – often takes place on public lands. Tourists travel to Colorado from around the world and country to experience a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities.  The Outdoor Industry Association found that the active outdoor recreation economy contributes over $10 billion annually to Colorado’s economy and supports 107,000 jobs across the state.  Hiking, climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, and mountain biking are just a few of the outdoor activities enjoyed on public lands. [Outdoor Industry Association, 2006]

-  Hunting and angling—a $1.8 billion economy in Colorado—often take place on public lands. Millions of acres in Colorado are open to hunting for game and waterfowl and to fishing for species including cutthroat trout, the official state fish.  The Colorado Division of Wildlife reported that in 2007 hunting and angling provided $1 .8 billion in impacts to the state. [Colorado Division of Wildlife, 9/08]

-  Oil, gas, and minerals from Colorado’s public lands provide $6 billion per year in economic impacts. Mining and drilling on Interior Department-managed lands in Colorado create a tremendous amount of economic opportunity. [Interior Department, 6/21/11]

Romney likes to sing “America the Beautiful” to show his love of the country. He may not know the song was inspired by the poetic beauty of Pikes Peak, one of the “purple mountains majesty” of Colorado’s public lands.

Colorado Republicans are reloading previous attempts to expand gun rights, bringing back legislation that would allow concealed weapons in schools and let businesses use deadly force against intruders.

Republicans say they want to protect Second Amendment rights, but Democrats accuse them of straying from the job-creation platform both parties promised to focus on this year.

A proposal running simultaneously in the House and Senate would allow concealed weapons on school grounds and college campuses if a person has a permit and another bill would let business owners and employees use deadly force against intruders.

Conservatives have twisted school massacres at Columbine and Virginia Tech to argue that there need to be more guns in schools to fight back against armed attacks. Last year more than a dozen state legislatures took up bills that would allow guns on college campuses — and some even considered lifting their gun bans at K-12 public schools. Florida suspended discussion of their controversial bill after the emotional testimony of a father whose daughter was killed at Florida State University when another student accidentally discharged a rifle.

Gun control advocates say the presence of guns makes schools much more dangerous and creates a negative learning environment. The chances of tragic accidents and guns being stolen are also quite high in communal settings. Earlier this month a Texas middle school student was shot to death by police for carrying what turned out to be a pellet gun.

The Colorado legislature is also considering a proposal to eliminate background checks for firearm purchases — increasing the likelihood that guns will fall into the wrong hands. A recent New York Times investigation revealed that ex-convicts are finding it increasingly easy to get their guns back after being released from prison. Thanks to pro-gun lobbyists and Republican legislatures, even felons with histories of stalking and mental health problems have their gun rights restored without any review by judges — a trend that jeopardizes public safety and has already cost lives.

Here are the results in five graphs:

Read the full report here.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) urged lawmakers to pass civil unions legislation in his State of the State address, even though a similar measure failed in a House committee last year. Sen. Pat Steadman (D) has re-introduced the measure and December poll found that 76 percent of Colorado voters support legal recognition for same-sex couples through either marriage or civil unions.

Democrats have continually tweaked the bill to try to garner Republican support. Last year, the bill stipulated that students who were undocumented immigrants and spent at least three years in a Colorado high school could pay in-state tuition but would be “ineligible for a Colorado stipend granted to legal in-state tuition residents.” Sen. Angela Giron (D) said she hopes Republicans support the bill with the additional changes, explaining that the state can’t wait to enact it:

“None of us want to create an underclass of people,” Giron said. “The state can’t afford that, and this country can’t afford a permanent underclass. They’re here. Let’s make the most of it.”

The new bill differs from last year’s because it includes an option for colleges to refuse to participate. Giron said the caveat was added to appeal to Republicans who opposed the plan last year. [...] She hopes Republicans who viewed the proposal last year as a reward and an incentive for illegal immigration will rethink their positions.

“The census show people that this is an issue that they at least have to pay attention to and take more seriously,” Giron said. “We need to look at the population in our state and across this country. It affects who we elect in what they support.”

Republicans have argued that allowing undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition would incentivize illegal immigration. “Are we teaching a new generation that it’s OK not to follow the laws of our country?” state Rep. Robert Ramírez (R) said in 2011. He voted no in 2011 on the tuition bill.

So far, about a dozen states allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition at colleges. In Georgia, state Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan (D) said she plans to introduce similar legislation during the Georgia legislature’s 2012 session.

HICKENLOOPER: As we strive to make Colorado healthier, we believe in equal rights for all regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. We don’t believe we should legislate what happens inside a church or place of worship, but government should treat all people equally.

It’s time to pass civil unions.

Republicans on Colorado’s House Judiciary Committee blocked passage of a civil unions bill last spring, but advocates have committed to reintroducing the measure. A December poll showed that 76 percent of Colorado voters support legal recognition for same-sex couples through either marriage or civil unions.

This is not the scene at some ski slopes right now in Colorado.

The state’s ski industry is hurting, but a coming water shortage caused by the lack of snow could be worse, according to the Colorado Independent:

Ski industry woes aside, state water watchers and firefighters are nervously eyeing the miniscule mountain snowpack, which supplies so much of the water used by Front Range cities. As of Dec. 30, snowpack in the Colorado River basin was 44 percent of last year’s record level and just 63 percent of the annual average.

“[The drought] will make the beetle epidemic even more severe,” said state Sen. Gail Schwartz, a Snowmass Democrat who’s introducing a bill in the legislative session starting Wednesday that’s aimed at reducing the fire danger from a mountain pine bark beetle epidemic that has killed millions of acres of Colorado lodgepole pines. “What doesn’t burn down will blow down.” [...]

The last time Colorado’s high country was even close to this dry in mid-winter was during the 2001-02 ski season, which was followed by the worst wildfire season in the state’s history. June of 2002 saw the massive Hayman Fire scorch nearly 138,000 acres of land in the mountains southwest of Denver, darkening Front Range skies and loading key water storage facilities with debris from subsequent erosion.

Auden Schendler, vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, points out that the NASA global temperature anomaly maps show that December just keeps getting warmer, which creates the extreme swings. “It’s key to remember that warming might actually bring bigger storms to the Rockies due to there being more moisture in the air,” Schendler said. “At the same time, because the atmosphere can hold more water, it can suck the land dry of more water than before.”

And as greenhouse gas pollution continues to warm the planet, people will continue to face — and have to prepare for — unseasonably warm weather in January in one area and extreme amounts of snow in another.

Not all of these foreclosures are economically necessary. Banks can choose to work with homeowners to arrange payments that families are able to make to keep them in their homes. One mega-bank that has thus far refused to do this in the state on a workable scale is Wells Fargo. So this week, the Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC) — calling for a “Mile-High Showdown,” referring to Denver’s geographical height — is calling on the megabank to reduce the principal on underwater loans, increase small business lending, divest from private prisons, and pay its fair share of taxes (the bank paid a 7.5 percent effective corporate income tax rate in 2010). Yesterday, CPC activists appeared at a local Wells Fargo branch and presented their demands, which were faxed to the bank president John Stumpf. Watch it:

In order to put some teeth into these words, the CPC assembled over 300 Wells Fargo account holders and a local union to collectively close their bank accounts today and put their money somewhere else instead. CPC plans to continue to escalate its actions in the state, including moving into a Wells Fargo branch to protest foreclosures.

Hickenlooper responded to protests with riot police.

Yet last night the movement also suffered a major setback as Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) evicted Occupy Denver demonstrators from the park where they had encamped after decreeing that protesters are no longer allowed to sleep there overnight. At approximately 3 a.m. last night, riot police were ordered into Lincoln Park, which is alongside the state capitol. As demonstrators loudly protested, the riot police moved in and started physically removing people. There were multiple arrests. One protester pointed out the stark contrast between the peaceful demonstration and the riot police:

Casey Childers, a 27-year-old student from the University of Colorado at Denver, said she was kicked off a median in the middle of Colfax where she was holding a sign with a blue peace sign on it. “They showed up in full riot gear and all we have are signs and slogans,” Childers said. “I’m very concerned we are not able to protest peacefully and freely.”

Denver’s News 9 was on the scene as police arrived to evict demonstrators. Watch their report:

As Hickenlooper has restricted his ban to people staying in the park overnight, many protesters plan to continue their actions for economic justice during the day. They are holding a major rally tomorrow, when hundreds of demonstrations in 82 countries are planned in a day of global protest for local democracy.