Tri-Cities Public Policy
Home » Tri-Cities Public PolicyA RESOLUTION OF the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, WASHINGTON
SUPPORTING HOUSE BILL 2124 AND SENATE BILL 5964
THAT NARROWS THE REQUIREMENT FOR UTILITIES TO PURCHASE ELIGBILE renewable energy resources OR RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS when not needed to serve customers’ LOADS.
Whereas, Initiative 937 (the Initiative), passed in 2006 which resulted in the Energy Independence Act (EIA), required qualifying utilities to incrementally increase the amount of eligible renewable resources to 15 percent by 2020 and to pursue all cost-effective conservation requirements starting in 2010; AND
WHEREAS, The Initiative narrowly defined eligible renewable resources to exclude existing hydropower, a clean renewable resource supplying over two-thirds of the electricity in the state of Washington; AND
WHEREAS, The Initiative imposed significant financial penalties for failure to meet renewable requirements and conservation targets; AND
WHEREAS, The Initiative failed in Benton County with 66 percent of the voters opposing the Initiative, failed in Franklin County with 67 percent of the voters opposing the Initiative and statewide passing by only 51.6 percent; AND
WHEREAS, Many utilities’ energy demands are not growing as projected or have declined due to the combination of successful conservation programs and the poor economy; AND
WHEREAS, The EIA requires qualifying utilities to purchase specific qualified renewable energy resources or renewable energy credits even if the utilities don’t need additional power; AND
WHEREAS, The purchase of unneeded eligible renewable energy resources or renewable energy credits will have a detrimental impact on utility budgets by increasing customer rates and negatively affecting the economy; AND
WHEREAS, House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964 provide qualifying utilities the choice to avoid the purchase of unneeded renewable energy or renewable energy credits; AND
WHEREAS, House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964 do not change the overall intent of Initiative 937, which is to encourage the use of conservation and the use of renewable energy resources; AND
WHEREAS, House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964 will protect qualifying utilities from unnecessary additional costs which could result in unwanted rate increases and further encumber the economy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce hereby supports House Bill 2124 and Senate Bill 5964, which protect qualifying utilities from the purchase of eligible renewable energy resources or renewable energy credits not needed to serve customers’ loads.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED by Toby Bouchey, Chair of the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, Washington, at a meeting this 21st day of Septeber 2011.