DENVER—Today,
Gov. Bill Ritter signed two pieces of clean energy legislation – House
Bill 1281 and Senate Bill 100 - to help create a “New Energy Economy”
for Colorado. Environment Colorado joined the Governor at the signing
ceremony outside the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Test
Center in Boulder.
“As
Coloradans we can all learn an important lesson from these new laws –
that the health of our environment and our economy are not mutually
exclusive,” said Will Coyne, Program Director for Environment Colorado.
“Today is an exciting day for Colorado – for our environment, for our
economy, for our workers, for our future.”
Hailed
as Gov. Ritter’s hallmark legislation, HB07-1281 increases the
renewable energy standard to 20% by the year 2020 and also includes
several key provisions designed to encourage local communities to
develop clean energy development projects, including projects initiated
by municipal utilities and electric cooperatives themselves. The bill
is supported by renewable energy advocates, conservationists, farmers,
and utility companies.
The
Governor also signed a companion bill at the ceremony, Senate Bill 100,
which maps renewable energy resources in Colorado and helps put “wind
on the wires” by allowing utilities to build new transmission lines to
develop those resources using current cost recovery – ensuring
immediate funding for new projects and saving rate-payers money over
the long run.
“Our
economy and our environment are inexorably linked – probably more so in
Colorado than many other places. Today we have achieved victory for
both,” said Coyne.
“Today,
Gov. Ritter signs legislation that will secure the market for renewable
energy in Colorado – adding $1.9 billion to our economy – and at the
same time cut soot, smog, and global warming pollution by 11%,”
continued Coyne.
HB07-1281
also sets the first renewable energy standard for all rural electric
cooperatives in Colorado. Under this legislation, all electric
cooperatives would be required to get 10% of their electricity from
renewables by 2020.
The
bill also offers incentives for Colorado-based renewable energy, local
community clean energy projects, and projects initiated by local
utilities by offering increased credits toward meeting the renewable
energy standard for those projects.
“This
legislation will create thousands of jobs for rural Colorado, but will
also conserve 18 billion gallons of water between now and 2020,” said
Coyne.
Colorado’s
current investment in wind power has been an enormous success. Xcel
Energy is expected to meet Amendment 37’s 10% goal by the end of 2007,
eight years ahead of schedule. Proponents of the legislation have cited
the economic benefits for consumers, rural communities, and Colorado
jobs. Interwest Energy Alliance projects over $250 million fuel and
emission cost savings by 2020 thanks to Colorado’s current wind energy
investment.
Starting
in 2001, Environment Colorado identified clean energy as a priority
issue. After an unsuccessful three-year lobbying effort at the state
capitol to pass a renewable energy standard, they took the issue to the
ballot and found their first major success when Colorado became the
first state where voters passed a renewable energy standard, Amendment
37. Then in 2006, Environment Colorado launched their New Energy Future
campaign, gaining support from over 50 soon-to-be state legislators to
double Colorado’s renewable energy standard to 20%.
HB07-1281 was sponsored by Senator Gail Schwartz (D - Snowmass Village)
and Representatives Jack Pommer (D - Boulder) and Rob Witwer (R-
Genesee).
SB07-100 was sponsored by Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald (D – Coal Creek Canyon) and Rep. Buffie McFadyen (D - Pueblo West).
