Colorado's Renewable Energy Bill Heads Back to Senate
By Dennis Darrow, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. -- April 21
A measure designed to help create a market in Colorado for renewable energy such as wind, solar and water power passed the state House by a 42-22 vote Tuesday.
Right after the House vote, House Speaker Lola Spradley, R-Beulah, a chief
sponsor of the measure, embarked on an all-out lobbying and media blitz in hopes
of winning Senate passage.
Spradley reiterated that she views renewable energy as an attractive economic
development opportunity for rural areas, particularly sunny and often-windy
Southern Colorado.
Spradley also said she views the exploration of renewable energy as a way to
ease reliance on fossil fuels and guard against higher gas prices.
She noted the current spike in gas prices as another reason to support the
measure.
The bill requires utilities regulated by the Public Utilities Commission to
install 900 megawatts of renewal energy by 2010, in essence creating more of a
market in the state for the development of wind, solar and water power. Colorado
would become the 14th state to take such a step.
A statement from Spradley's office called the upcoming Senate vote the
"last opportunity to pass meaningful renewable energy legislation this
session."
A defeat would likely spur proponents to begin a drive to place the issue on
the November election ballot, she said.
Critics of the renewable energy proposal say they worry the program will lead
to higher traditional fuel prices as the industry adjusts to the higher costs of
renewable energy development.
One reason the measure failed in the Senate the first time was concerns about
a possible fuel-cost spike among farm irrigators, an issue Spradley said she
sought to address in the new measure.
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