Colo. Gov. touts renewable energy on Capitol Hill

[jpak]

http://axcessnews.com/index.php/articles/show/id/12413

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter pressed members of Congress Thursday to adopt a federal renewable energy standard that reflects similar initiatives in his state, including stiff rules on utility companies to produce clean forms of energy.

In 2004, Colorado voters passed the nation's first citizen-initiated energy standard requiring utility companies to produce 10 percent renewable resources by 2020.

Ritter, a Democrat, touted Colorado's energy efficient standard in front of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, painting Colorado as the environmental poster child for what he called the "New Energy Economy."

"The federal government can provide access to tax exempt bonds and other incentives for the widespread build-out of renewable transmission to assist states in contributing to a national electricity goal," Ritter said. "This has to be a national effort."

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