Enviros claim victory in 2008 session

This morning a coalition of environmental advocates touted their near-perfect record on bills during the legislative session that just ended, a string of victories that made them perhaps the most successful interest group beneath the dome this year.

The groups pointed to bills boosting the renewable energy industry, making at-home solar panels more available to average homeowners, promoting water conservation and encouraging sound development planning.

Elise Jones, the executive director of the Colorado Environmental Coalition, proclaimed the bills “green-green” successes because she said they would not only help the environment but also help the economy.

“The policies we’re putting into effect in this building,” said Pam Kiely with Environment Colorado, “are really having tangible effects.”

Among the bills most heavily lauded were:

• House Bill 1160, which creates a uniform standard by which solar panel-owning homeowners can sell excess power back to the energy grid.

• House Bill 1164, which encourages the state’s Public Utilities Commission to consider adding large-scale solar power plants to the state’s energy portfolio and also look at carbon emissions as a factor when approving energy plans.

• House Bill 1350, which sets up a program for homeowners to get low-interest loans to buy solar panels or other green energy products.

• House Bill 1141, which requires homebuilders to show where they intend to get the water for their developments before they are allowed to build.

• House Bill 1280, which allows water rights holders to leave water in the river without losing their rights.

The Colorado Environmental Coalition’s Stephanie Thomas called HB 1141, “historic.” Jim Welch, the president of Bella Energy, said the renewable energy industry in Colorado has seen a 2,000-jobs jump in the last three years, something he said the bills passed this year will help perpetuate.

And Jonathan Kahn, said HB 1280 will boost Colorado’s rafting and fishing economy.

“The economic benefits trickle down to many small towns that depend on non-ski-related tourism,” he said.

The green groups did admit to two losses this year: one on a bill that would have tied transportation funding to environmentally-friendly planning and another that would have required power providers to invest in energy efficiency.

“We have a lot more work to do,” Jones said.

But Carrie Doyle, the executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters, said this session will likely go down as one of the most successful for the environmental movement. She said more and more lawmakers are receptive to green ideas as voters make those ideals higher priorities, and she said, in additional to the usual conservation groups, environmental advocates have added businesses, water providers and agricultural groups to their now mighty coalition.

Some Republicans this session have expressed concern about the growing environmental clout at the Capitol, arguing specifically that the push to move the state toward renewable energy could come at the cost of less reliability and higher prices. But Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne, said many votes on pro-environment bills this year bridged party lines.

“I think more legislators are really supporting conservation policies,” Gibbs said. “And it’s not partisan at all. I think more people are realizing that when conservation wins Colorado wins.”

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