Conservation advocates praise Legislature’s work

DENVER - Environmental advocates Thursday declared the 2007 General Assembly the best session ever, citing 23 successful bills dealing with renewable energy, water quality and other matters, as compared with just one piece of “green” legislation that did not pass.

A coalition of groups held a news conference to praise Gov. Bill Ritter and legislative leaders — particularly Democrats — for advancing bills that either received vetoes from former Gov. Bill Owens or didn’t make it through the Legislature. The most frequently mentioned were the reform of the makeup of the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission and a mandate to utility companies to double the amount of renewable energy they produce.

“We’ve seen a real shift among voters, among Coloradans, on issues like global warming and renewable energy,” said Carrie Doyle, executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters. “We’ve had real legislative leadership from both parties, from both chambers and from the governor’s office.”

Other measures dealing with renewable-energy mandates that government buildings be more energy efficient, require utilities to submit plans to upgrade renewable-energy transmission lines, and allow local governments to offer incentives for people to buy energy-efficient products.

Separate measures put environmentalists on the oil and gas commission and required the commission to minimize adverse impacts to wildlife habitat affected by oil and gas operations.

Seven water-quality bills have gone through both houses this year, including measures to expand the water-efficiency grant program and to protect water-rights owners who lend water to maintain stream flows. A measure that allows water judges to consider water quality in transfer decrees also was mentioned.

Environmentalists’ only disappointment of the session was the gutting of a bill that would have required rural electric cooperatives to credit consumers who developed their own wind or solar power, said Will Coyne, land-use advocate for Environment Colorado.

While environmentalists touted the session’s green accomplishments, though, some Republicans said the excitement appears overhyped. Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, said that although he supports the alternative-energy bills, many of which passed with bipartisan backing, he does not think they replace the need to continue exploring for fossil fuels — or even examine the use of nuclear energy.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303)837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com