There’s a good question to which ratepayers will never get an answer because Xcel Energy is an investor owned utility (IOU) that enjoys a government-sanctioned monopoly on providing electric service to roughly 1.4 million Colorado ratepayers. Because it is not a state agency, Colorado’s largest electricity provider is not subject to the state’s open record law. I [...]

During the discussion phase of HB 1172, Representative Spencer Swalm’s bill to repeal Colorado’s “phantom carbon tax,” Representative Marsha Looper (R-Calhan) stated: Whenever we have an opportunity to repeal a tax, especially a phantom tax…it behooves me to do so. I will be supporting it [HB 1172]. As posted earlier, HB 1172 moved out of the Ag [...]

Colorado energy policy: “You have this cheap, reliable, affordable energy source that the state is mandating be replaced with intermittent, unreliable, expensive energy sources. What does that mean for folks?” For Craig, a beautiful town of 10,000 people in Northwestern Colorado, it means the death of the town. Perhaps the true green believers such as [...]

Just around dinner time last night the House Transportation Committee, chaired by Weld County GOP Rep Glenn Vaad, moved HB 1121 (detailed here) out of committee on a 10-3 vote and to the whole House for a floor debate on Colorado’s renewable energy mandate. Rep. Ray Scott’s (R-Grand Junction) Ratepayer Bill of Rights, dubbed “RayBOR” by [...]

On an 8-4 vote, the House Ag Committee moved HB 1172, repealing Colorado’s carbon tax, out of committee for consideration by the whole House. One Democrat Wes McKinley joined all seven Republicans Representatives Paul Brown, Don Coram, Marsha Looper, Ray Scott, Glenn Vaad, Randy Baumgardner, and Jerry Sonnenberger.

The eco-dilemma: birds or solar panels? Green advocates find themselves in the awkward position of promoting less than eco-friendly energy that is potentially more devastating to wildlife and delicate eco-systems than the global warming it is supposed to prevent. Such is the case with a massive, commercial solar project in the San Luis Valley. SolarReserve, recipient [...]