CREA Team Meets With Sen. Michael Bennet

This morning, representatives of the Colorado electric co-op community met with United States Senator Michael Bennet to discuss issues of importance to the electric co-op family. Bob Bledsoe (incoming President of CREA), Bill Midcap (incoming Vice President of CREA), Don Kaufman (incoming Secretary of CREA), Rick Gordon (Chairman of Tri-State G&T) and CREA Executive Director Kent Singer all met with Senator Bennet and Becca Montgomery, the Senator’s state policy director.

We thanked Senator Bennet for supporting the Colorado State Implementation Plan and asking the United States EPA to approve the plan. We also told the Senator we appreciated his support of the continuation of the production tax credit for renewable energy projects. We discussed the many new renewable energy projects that are being developed by Tri-State and the distribution co-ops as well as our many energy efficiency programs.

We also asked Senator Bennet to support continued funding of the RUS electric program in the upcoming farm bill debate and to oppose the current restrictions on funding for base load generation. We also asked the Senator to support bills that would preclude the EPA from regulating coal ash as a hazardous material. Finally, we asked Senator Bennet to help us continue to provide affordable electricity to rural Colorado by reining in excessive and unworkable environmental regulations.

We appreciate the opportunity Senator Bennet gave us to have a dialogue on these issues, and we look forward to continued discussions about the best energy policies for Colorado and the country.

CREA Provides Overview to Senate Agriculture Committee

We’d like to thank Sen. Gail Schwartz, Chair of the Colorado Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee for allowing CREA to provide an overview of the the Colorado electric co-op program to the committee this morning. CREA Executive Director Kent Singer and Director of Government Relations Geoffrey Hier gave a slide presentation that showed the unique characteristics of the 22 distribution co-ops in Colorado and described the many innovative energy projects that have been initiated by the co-ops.  We explained to the committee how the electric co-ops are closely tied to their communities and regulated by their locally-elected boards of directors. We also talked about the importance of maintaining our independence and how the co-ops are responsive to the wishes of their member-owners.

We appreciate the attentiveness of the committee, and the time they gave us to tell the co-op story. We hope that this committee and all 100 legislators will keep in mind the diversity of our systems and the impacts on electric rates when considering any new energy policies.

H.B. 12-1160 Passes House Committee with CREA Support

This afternoon, CREA testified in support of H.B. 12-1160, a bill that would include electricity generated from coal mine methane as an eligible resource under Colorado’s renewable portfolio standard.  The bill passed out of the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee on a 10-2 vote.

Geoffrey Hier, CREA’s Director of Government Relations, testified that we supported the bill because it would provide jobs for those involved in developing new generating facilities, it would utilize Colorado resources for the production of electricity, and it would  benefit the environment by burning methane that is now vented into the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas.

Joining CREA in supporting the bill were members of the Board of Directors of the Delta-Montrose Electric Association, the Colorado Mining Association, the developers of coal mine methane projects, and Randy Udall, a consultant for Holy Cross Energy. The sole witness who testified in opposition to the bill was an attorney for Western Resource Advocates.

CREA continúes to support common sense efforts to use Colorado resources for Colorado electricity consumers, and we applaud Rep. Randy Baumgardner and Sen. Gail Schwartz for sponsoring H.B. 12-1160.

GEO Briefs Legislative Energy Committees

T.J Deora, the Director of the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO), made a presentation

to a joint meeting of the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources

Committee and the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy

Committee today.  These committees have primary oversight for energy issues in the

Colorado General Assembly.

Mr. Deora affirmed Governor Hickenlooper’s support of an “all of the above”

strategy for energy development.  He also discussed a modification to

the mission of GEO to include the promotion of conventional resources in addition to

renewable energy.  To that end, GEO is convening stakeholders to discuss a

“balanced energy portfolio”.  The goal of the stakeholder process is to

determine what the appropriate generation mix is for Colorado.

Another major policy objective stressed by Mr. Deora is a reduction in the

use of imported fuels for transportation.  The administration is promoting

alternative fueled vehicles including electric, bio-fuels and especially

natural gas vehicles.

Representative Glenn Vaad (R-Mead) raised the point that Colorado’s transportation

infrastructure is funded by gasoline taxes and while alternative fueled

vehicles should be encouraged an important policy consideration is how to

continue funding highways.

Several Democratic members of the Joint Committee pressed GEO to continue to

promote renewable energy and maintain the “brand” developed during the

previous administration.  Republican members of the Committee expressed

satisfaction with the expanded direction GEO is taking.

CREA will continue to work with GEO on energy policy issues.  CREA supports

HB 12-1028 which contains a provision continuing funding for the low income

weatherization program administered by GEO.  Many of our member-owners

benefit from this program.

Congressmen Polis and Perlmutter Talk Energy at Town Hall

Last night, Congressmen Jared Polis and Ed Perlmutter hosted a town hall meeting at the Thornton city council chambers. The council chambers were packed with constituents eager to ask questions on a wide variety of topics. The Congressmen made some opening remarks followed by an extensive Q&A session.

We were most interested in their approach to energy issues and both Congressmen addressed the subject. Congressman Polis said he agreed with the President and his “all of the above” approach to energy. He also acknowledged that we will need to use fossil fuels for decades while making a transition to renewable energy and a more efficient economy. Congressman Perlmutter emphasized the need to use energy more efficiently, and both Congressmen recognized the importance of lessening our dependence on imported oil.

The Congressmen differed with respect to the Keystone XL oil pipeline, with Congressman Polis opposing the project and Congressman Perlmutter in support. While some in the audience appeared to support the pipeline, others were opposed based on the temporary nature of the jobs created and their concerns about the environmental impact of the project.

We support the general themes expressed by both Congressmen with respect to energy efficiency and the need to continue to use abundant domestic fossil resources for power generation. Even more, we support the ability of citizens to have contact with their elected representatives and salute the Congressmen for providing this forum.

President Highlights Energy in SOTU Address

Last night President Obama addressed members of Congress, special guests and the American public in his third State of the Union speech. The President outlined his proposals to improve the economy, reform the tax code, and develop American energy.

The President began his remarks on energy by seeking middle ground and calling for an “all-of-the-above” approach. He supported the development of natural gas so long as companies disclose the chemical solutions used in the hydraulic fracturing process. Mr. Obama claimed that the continued development of natural gas could create more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

Although he acknowledged that it is unlikely that a comprehensive energy bill would pass this year, President Obama asked Congress to pass a Clean Energy Standard which would require electric utilities to obtain 80% from renewable sources and natural gas by 2035.

President Obama receive 17 standing ovations during his speech. The longest and most enthusiastic ovation of the night, however, was reserved for retiring Congresswoman Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) who has inspired everyone with her courageous recovery from wounds sustained in the service of her country.

Denver Post Highlights Co-op Renewable Energy Projects

An article in yesterday’s Denver Post highlighted a few of the many renewable energy projects that have been developed by Colorado’s electric co-ops in the last few years. The article focused on United Power’s first-of-its-kind solar garden, a project that allows co-op member-owners to lease centrally-located solar panels without paying the large upfront costs typically associated with large arrays on their roofs. This idea has spread across the state and has been adopted by Holy Cross Energy, Grand Valley Power, and Delta-Montrose Electric Association, among others.

In addition to its solar garden, United Power is also using power derived from methane generated from a landfill site. Other co-ops are recycling what would otherwise be waste heat from natural gas compression stations to use in energy production, installing wind turbines for locally-produced power, and net metering customer-owned renewable generation. Tri-State, the power supplier to many of the co-ops, has also recently incorporated significant amounts of solar and wind generation into its portfolio, and is looking for more. Tri-State works with its members to develop small hydro, wind, and other renewable energy projects.

Colorado’s electric co-ops continue to innovate when it comes to producing electricity from renewable sources in a reliable and affordable manner.

CREA Joins Diverse Group to Support Energy Assistance

We’re glad to report that once in awhile the political gridlock that too often characterizes our state and federal government can give way to cooperative solutions.

 A group of organizations with diverse interests came together this afternoon at the Colorado Capitol in support of HB 12-1028, a bill sponsored by Rep. Cheri Gerou (a Republican from Evergreen) and Sen. Pat Steadman (a Democrat from Denver) that reauthorizes the use of severance tax revenues to fund low-income energy assistance and weatherization for low-income households.  The original funding formula was created in 2006 and is set to sunset in fiscal year 2012-13 unless the legislature takes action to extend the funding. 

 CREA joined witnesses from Energy Outreach Colorado, Colorado Conservation Voters, Colorado Environmental Coalition, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and the Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities in support of the program and the bill, which passed the House Finance Committee unanimously.

 Although many of the electric co-ops have programs that allow their member-owners to “round up” their bills to help fund energy assistance in their communities, we appreciate the efforts of Energy Outreach Colorado to provide additional support to co-op member-owners.

 It’s a good day when cooperation and common sense trump politics!

Legislative Session Underway

This week marks the beginning of the second session of the sixty-eighth General Assembly of the State of Colorado.  Lawmakers gathered on Wednesday for opening-day activities as they begin the 120-day session.  

Both the House and Senate welcomed new members who were appointed to fill vacancies created during the interim.  Sen. Tim Neville (R-Littleton) fills the vacancy left by the resignation of former Senate minority leader Mike Kopp; and Rep. Dave Young (D-Greeley) fills the seat previously held by Jim Riesberg, who is now serving at the Commissioner of Insurance.

Gov. John Hickenlooper delivered his second State of the State address of his term and outlined his priorities for the upcoming session.  In doing so, he urged both legislators and stakeholders to work collaboratively despite predictions of a session filled with partisan rancor.

Legislators will likely spend the next week organizing committees, receiving briefings from state agencies as part of regularly scheduled oversight hearings and preparing for their first committee hearings to consider this year’s slate of bills.

Detailed information regarding specific bills and committee hearings, including links to hear audio broadcasts of committee hearings and floor action, may be found at www.leg.state.co.us.