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the energy & environmental security initiative
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Kristen Cunningham

The message of the evening rang clear: Colorado, the United States, and the world face a daunting energy crisis, but recent political developments have taken strides towards mitigating this global problem.
Local leaders, professors, scientists, and other community members came in from the heat on Monday, July 2nd to hear five distinguished speakers’ thoughts on a sustainable energy future: U.S. Congressman Mark Udall; Colorado House Majority Leader Alice Madden; Director of the Governor’s Energy Office Tom Plant; British Consul in Denver Kevin Lynch; and Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Jim Martin. Each delivered fifteen minute talks on how their respective branches of state, national, and transnational government address climate change and the current energy crisis.
Despite a uniform enthusiasm about the recent political shift to greener law and policy, each speaker reminded the packed Wittemyer Courtroom that governments and citizens alike must continue to reduce carbon emissions and find alternative energy sources in order to ensure a promising future for upcoming generations.
Udall kicked off the evening by relating how the new Democratic Congressional majority has addressed energy policy. “I’m bullish,” Udall said. “With Democrats back in charge we intend to be fully engaged. The federal government has yet to scratch the surface of what we can do.
Udall criticized the Bush Administration for its strong focus on carbon-based technologies, but praised the States—and Colorado in particular—for their efforts in passing environmental legislation, such as Colorado’s Amendment 37. He then spoke about several bills in a comprehensive energy legislative “package” set to hit the floor after the July recess. Among other proposals, the bills in the package advocate carbon capture and storage, address global climate change research and data management, and propose tax incentives to increase the number of flex-fuel and hybrid vehicles on American roads (for more on current energy legislation, please see Senator Salazar’s message, Page 1).

“With Democrats in the majority, we are in the position to set the agenda,” Udall said. “But we can’t force those who don’t agree with us to bend to our will. We have to be creative about how we bring this package and its various elements to the floor, and then be creative in how we present them to the President.”
Udall closed his speech by emphasizing that clean energy and carbon emissions reduction should be a national imperative. “Green is the new red, white, and blue,” said Udall, quoting Tom Friedman. “There’s nothing more patriotic than pursuing these new green technologies.”
Madden followed Udall’s upbeat presentation with even more optimistic words. “The times really are changing,’” Madden said. “2007 marks a very clear demarcation in time and a complete change of political will around this issue in Colorado.”
Madden evinced chuckles from those in attendance with her stories of attempted environmental legislation under former Governor Bill Owens. She then emphasized the shift to a pro-environment stance when Governor Bill Ritter took office in January. With Ritter having signed over twenty environmental bills into law in the past seven months, Madden exuded a glowing satisfaction with the current direction of Colorado energy policy. She also mentioned several businesses—including the wind system manufacturer Vestis and solar provider Sun Edison—and their plans to bring renewable energy facilities to Colorado.
However, the House Majority Leader acknowledged the fact that the state still has a long way to go before it can successfully clean up its air, harness solar and wind power, and provide a self-sufficient and economically viable energy future. “We’re creating new rules that welcome the growth markets of tomorrow,” Madden said. “[But] Colorado is still on the verge of violating the Clean Air Act. We really need to act now.”
Plant echoed these sentiments in his subsequent address. “Things are happening at a pace that is absolutely unheard of,” Plant said. “We’ve accomplished so much, but we still have a long way to go.”
See Envisioning Energy, Page 3