Last year, Gov. Bill Ritter was swept into office on a platform that featured a bold new idea: the development of a new energy economy based on efficient, renewable energy.
It became clear that he garnered support from a number of Republicans like me who shared his vision for a new way of addressing our energy needs. We believe that with smart investments and forward-looking policies, we can provide environmentally friendly energy sources and new, sustainable markets for an agricultural economy that’s increasingly constrained by a lack of water.
Renewable energy has always been long on promise and short on deliverables. So why should anyone expect success now? Look around.
In 2004, Coloradans approved the nation’s first citizen-initiated renewable portfolio standard, Amendment 37. Three years later, lawmakers extended the renewable mandate to a 20 percent standard. Eight of 11 Western states have followed our lead, and Colorado is now regarded as a national leader in renewable-energy standards, which is a key component of a House energy bill that the oil and gas industry is desperately trying to kill.
Also this year, we’ve witnessed the start of construction on one of the largest wind farms in America — on our northeast plains in Logan County, by Florida Power & Light — and the construction of a world-class wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Windsor. We’ve also seen the groundbreaking of the world’s largest concentrated photovoltaic plant in our solar-rich San Luis Valley, while a breakthrough in PV manufacturing at Colorado State University promises to make this abundant, endless supply of energy even cheaper and more available.
Yet, as a lifelong member of the Colorado Republican Party, I am beyond disappointed at the negative and obstructionist tenor of the communications coming from the state Senate minority office. Last month, it issued a press release accusing Ritter of “creating a hostile environment” toward the state’s oil and gas industry.
What’s ironic is that the charge was levied by a senator whose Eastern Plains district is the benefactor of Ritter’s policies and one whose constituents are facing economic ruin because of the shutoff of thousands of irrigation wells. Yet the state’s Republican leaders seem allergic to the idea that renewable energy has an important role to play in Colorado’s energy future.
These leaders are out of step with the will of Colorado citizens, who understand the cost of pursuing business as usual without preparing for the future.
In fact, recent testimony by Xcel Energy before the Public Utilities Commission confirms renewable energy is now saving Colorado ratepayers millions of dollars annually while directing hundreds of millions of dollars in investments to struggling areas of rural Colorado.
Ritter was given a clear mandate in the November elections to seek balance and accountability in our state’s energy sector. Tens of thousands of natural gas and methane wells have been drilled in Colorado since the late 1990s and more are in the pipeline.
Addressing both our fossil fuel resources and our renewable opportunities requires serious, thoughtful leadership. Fossil fuel will remain a critical and significant part of our energy economy, but that industry will be increasingly complemented by a growing renewable energy sector. However, spinning this administration’s policy of accountability, balance and stewardship into the words “assault, alienation and hostile environment” is not a demonstration of the leadership Colorado voters demand for issues of such critical importance to the state’s future.
I urge my party’s leadership to rethink their approach to our new energy economy and join the majority of Colorado voters who support the governor’s desire to build a future of prosperity and equity for all Coloradans.
Michael Bowman co-chaired Gov. Ritter’s Energy Transition team, chairs the Colorado Farm to Cafeteria Coalition
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