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HCR010................................by ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
ENERGY STUDY COMMITTEE - Stating findings of the Legislature and
authorizing the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to study energy
related issues.
02/09 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/10 Rpt prt - to Env
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session - 2005
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10
BY ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 STATING LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND AUTHORIZING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO
3 APPOINT A COMMITTEE ON ENERGY.
4 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
5 WHEREAS, there were numerous bills introduced in Congress from 1996
6 through 2004 which would have provided for the restructuring of the electric
7 utility and energy industries in this country; and
8 WHEREAS, Idaho currently enjoys low electric rates compared to the rest of
9 the nation, mainly because of our hydropower base; and
10 WHEREAS, while there may be some benefits to a competitive electric util-
11 ity industry, there have been some large unintended consequences to the
12 ratepayers and the citizens of the state given the California energy crisis
13 and the Enron collapse; and
14 WHEREAS, on July 31, 2002, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
15 announced a series of broad proposals to reform the wholesale power genera-
16 tion, trading and transmission markets known as Standard Market Design; and
17 WHEREAS, the Standard Market Design proposal has been repudiated and is
18 opposed in most southern and western states and fails to recognize the dis-
19 tinct nature of the Northwest electricity grid, including the significant
20 reliance on coordinated hydro operations that are subject to various nonpower
21 obligations; and
22 WHEREAS, Idaho's water rights system is a complex system of management,
23 and electric utility restructuring or the Standard Market Design rules could
24 affect demand loads and river flows and have some large unintended conse-
25 quences if not managed properly.
26 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session
27 of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the
28 Senate concurring therein, that the Legislative Council is authorized to
29 appoint a Committee to undertake and complete a study of energy related issues
30 from both the statewide perspective and the national perspective. The Commit-
31 tee is directed to involve representatives of industry, agricultural groups,
32 small businesses, consumers of electricity and conservation interests. The
33 Committee is also authorized to retain the services of a consultant, within
34 appropriated moneys, who is familiar with the energy industry and who can pro-
35 vide necessary economic or other research that can assist the Committee and
36 the Legislature in making an informed decision on this most important topic.
37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee shall make a progress report to
38 the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature and shall
39 make a report detailing its findings, recommendations and proposed legisla-
40 tion, if any, to the First Regular Session of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legisla-
41 ture.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 14583
The purpose of this legislation is to allow the Legislative
Council to appoint a committee to study the subject of energy
related issues. From 1996 through 2004, numerous pieces of
legislation have been introduced in the United States Congress to
provide for restructuring the electric utility industry and
energy issues in this country. The committee would be authorized
to meet until November 30, 2006. There is a companion piece of
legislation appropriating monies to allow the committee to retain
the services of a consultant to assist it and the Legislature in
its deliberations regarding this most complex and far reaching
subject.
FISCAL NOTE
The cost of the meetings for the Committee would be expected not
to exceed $10,000. It would be paid from the Legislative
Account. The cost of the consultant is contained in the
legislation.
Contact
Name: Representative George Eskridge
Senator Brent Hill
Phone: 332-1000
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE HCR 10