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Energy

Friday, August 10 at 2:00 PM

Justin Wilson of Denver writes:

This past weekend the US Congress took a major step in advancing renewable energy across the country. Although the Rocky had a small mention of this on 8/3, the coverage was lacking. Colorado voters led the way in 2004 passing the country’s first renewable energy standard by a vote of the people. In 2006 Governor Bill Ritter campaigned on the “New Energy Economy”. In 2007 the Colorado Legislator doubled our states renewable energy standard and incorporated the Rural Electric Cooperatives in to the legislation.
Colorado is a leader in renewable energy and is poised to benefit greatly from a national renewable energy standard. Colorado also has many more energy issues to work out in the next couple of months.
Under the energy bill that passed the house this week drilling on the Roan Plateau would also be barred. Westminster based Tri-State Generation and Transmission is continuing plans to build at least two new coal burning power plants (one in Western Kansas and at least one in Eastern Colorado), what are they thinking with the current political shift? Although they are exempt from the current RES, one could see the federal government following Colorado’s lead again and incorporating the Rural Electric Cooperatives in the near future. In a state where our economy is directly linked to older fossil fuel technology and the “New Energy Economy” more coverage of federal energy legislation would be appreciated.

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