In the News...

Ritter OKs bill on natural-gas power plants

Tuesday, April 20 2010

The Durango Herald
By Joe Hanel
April 20, 2010

DENVER - Flanked by two Southwest Colorado legislators, Gov. Bill Ritter on Monday signed into law a bill that could trade coal power plants for natural gas-powered ones.

In a morning ceremony in front of the Capitol, Ritter signed House Bill 1365, by Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, and Sen. Bruce Whitehead, D-Hesperus. The other sponsors were Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, and Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.

Ritter's office hatched the plan, along with Front Range utility Xcel Energy.

“It's the crescendo of all we've done, the capstone of all we've done," said Ritter, who has made clean energy his signature issue.

The bill attracted a coalition of former enemies because it has something for many interest groups. For the state's major environmental groups, it promises cleaner air and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. For the natural-gas industry, Western Slope lawmakers and Republicans in general, it offers the prospect of increased drilling. For Xcel and the state government, it shows a way to comply with potentially expensive clean air standards.

HB 1365 helps Xcel retire coal plants on the Front Range in order to help the region comply with upcoming federal clean-air laws. It allows the company to bill its customers for upgrades to natural gas or other cleaner sources of power.

“The naysayers said there was no way environmentalists, gas companies and a public utility could work together," Ritter said.

Penry, leader of the Senate Republicans, applauded the promise of more gas drilling.

“In a time and a place when bipartisan accomplishments are too few, this is an important one," Penry said.

Environmentalists said they plan to continue building their relationship with the gas industry, possibly by applying Colorado's bill to a federal energy bill in the U.S. Senate.

“We didn't build these alliances and develop trust and relationships to have it all be done today with the stroke of a pen," said Pam Kiely of Environment Colorado.

But not everyone is happy.

The coal industry fought hard against the bill, and only three of the Senate's 14 Republicans voted for it.

Also, Western Slope environmental groups are wary about the possibility of more gas drilling. Some conservation groups question the environmental benefits of switching from coal to gas once the effects of drilling are taken into account.

Megan Graham, executive director of the San Juan Citizens Alliance, said her group will stay engaged in the issue to make sure that regulators take into account the effects of natural gas not just in power plants, but at the well, in order to make sure local communities are protected.

Roberts was suffering from laryngitis during Monday's ceremony and did not address the crowd.

Whitehead hailed the twin goals of cleaning the air and increasing jobs in the gas patch.

“I believe future generations of Coloradans will look back at this day, April 19, 2010, and thank all of us involved for this positive step forward," Whitehead said.

Xcel now will work through the Public Utilities Commission to craft its clean-air plan this summer and fall.