Bills help set the stage for more renewable energy and energy efficiency in Utah

In a whirlwind 45-day session, the Utah Legislature passed a number of initiatives that will help give clean energy a boost in Utah.  Working with a budget shortfall and a challenging economic environment, legislators succeeded in adopting a range of bills and resolutions aimed at helping Utah stay competitive with surrounding states in the quickly growing national clean energy movement. 

Among the hundreds of bills and resolutions considered during this year’s legislative session, five dealing with renewable energy and/or energy efficiency passed with strong bi-partisan support.  Utah Clean Energy is pleased overall with the outcome of this year’s legislative session and grateful for all involved in making the following bills and resolutions possible.

House Bill 430 - Economic Development Incentives for Alternative Energy Projects, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Garn and Sen. Sheldon Killpack, is designed specifically to attract new clean energy industries and projects with the hopes of inviting new economic development to Utah.  The bill allows the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) to establish energy development zones and to offer tax credits to companies and projects located in those development zones. 

Senate Bill 76 SO3 - Energy Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Curtis Bramble and Rep. Roger Barrus, addresses the renewable energy transmission barrier by creating a political subdivision of the State tasked with the development of a master plan for renewable energy production and transmission infrastructure.  This subdivision will have the ability to apply for and seek out federal grants, as well as bonding authority to pay for transmission lines for renewable energy.

In addition, three resolutions, while non-binding, send strong messages to local governments and utilities that the legislature encourages, and wants to remove barriers to, renewable energy and energy efficiency across all sectors: 
  

Senate Joint Resolution 1 S02 Renewable Energy System, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones and Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, urges the Utah State Energy Program and municipal governments and to collaborate on the development of model renewable energy ordinances to streamline the development process at the local government level. 

House Joint Resolution 9 - Joint Resolution on Cost?Effective Energy Efficiency and Utility Demand Side Management, sponsored by Rep. Roger Barrus and Senate, Pat Jones,  recognizes energy efficiency as a priority resource and urges state and local governments and utilities companies to promote and encourage all available cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation, setting voluntary energy savings goals for Rocky Mountain Power and Questar Gas and expresses support for regulatory mechanisms that remove disincentives to utility energy efficiency and conservation.