GOP plans environmental bills high on incentives

Republican lawmakers Wednesday announced a series of environmental bills for 2008 that rely on incentives rather than increased regulation.

The rollout is a pre-emptive strike against Democrats’ expected proposals to require cleaner-burning cars and more taxes on oil and gas drilling.

“Republicans are committed to sound environmental policies that do not impose heavy-handed mandates on consumers and businesses,” said House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker.

The proposed bills include the following measures:

- Establish a pine-beetle mitigation fund from grants and donations received when hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

- Provide tax credits for the purchase of energy-efficient appliances and computers

- Create new environmentfriendly license plates available to people who buy energyefficient appliances.

- Create a new state park pass for users who wish to pay extra to cover park-maintenance costs.

- Encourage the use of hydropower by adding it to the list of technologies that can be applied to the state-mandated renewable energy standard for utilities.

- Direct grant money toward community colleges that offer programs in renewable energy management.

Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, said that while he likes the idea of protecting the environment through incentive measures, he doesn’t think it’s realistic.

“If we can voluntarily move some of this stuff along, wouldn’t it be great?” Morse said.

“Yeah, I think it would be great — and it would have happened a long time ago.”