Jan 8 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Greg Edwards Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.

A freshman state senator wants mandatory goals for energy conservation and renewable electricity generation written into law.

Sen. Chap Petersen's Clean Energy Future Act is aimed at fighting global warming, and he says passing it would be good for business and future generations.

The Fairfax Democrat, who until a couple of years ago served in the House of Delegates, was joined at a Capitol news conference yesterday by representatives of environmental groups who share his goals.

Hillary Lufkin, a senior at the University of Mary Washington, said that Virginia's colleges and universities are addressing concerns about climate change and that students want state politicians to do their part. Lufkin works with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, an environmental group focused on climate change issues in Virginia, Maryland and Washington.

Petersen, who unseated Republican Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, said he was fulfilling a campaign promise by introducing clean-energy legislation.

Whether his bill gets off the starting line will depend on a change of political climate in the General Assembly, where members have been hostile to forced energy cuts and renewable-energy mandates in the past. The legislation would have been "a cry in the wilderness" as few as six years ago but times and people's opinions have changed, Petersen said.

Petersen's legislation would:

--Require that 20 percent of electricity generated in Virginia come from renewable sources such as wind, solar or water power by 2020. The renewable contribution is 2 percent.

--Reduce energy use by 10 percent below current levels by 2020. The goal is more ambitious than the voluntary one in the governor's energy plan, which calls for a 10 percent cut from what levels are projected to be in 2022 at current growth rates.

--Create a source of money for funding state institutions that conduct research on renewable energy.

--Provide clean-energy tax credits to encourage clean-energy development.

--Direct state government to create a program for training workers for jobs in environmentally friendly energy production.

"Since the bill hasn't been officially filed yet, we'd prefer not to speculate on it," said David B. Botkins, spokesman for Dominion Virginia Power, the state's largest utility.

Petersen's bill is about "how we begin to heal God's creation," said Rev. C. Douglas Smith of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. "The way we've been generating electricity has not been helpful." Contact Greg Edwards at (804) 649-6390 or gedwards@timesdispatch.com.