2008 Legislation
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 128<br /> – Greenhouse gas emissions, report

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 128

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Bill Status



SCR128.........................................by RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
GREENHOUSE GAS - Stating findings of the Legislature and requesting that
the Department of Environmental Quality and the Office of Energy Resources
compile a report regarding greenhouse gas emissions and climate change and
to submit the report by July 1, 2008, to the Governor and the Legislative
Council Interim Committee on Energy, Environment and Technology.

02/11    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/12    Rpt prt - to 10th Ord
02/13    Ref'd to Res/Env
03/04    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
03/05    10th Ord - FAILED - 13-20-2
      AYES -- Andreason, Bilyeu, Burkett, Coiner, Corder, Kelly, Langhorst,
      Little, Malepeai(Sagness), Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Werk
      NAYS -- Bair, Bastian, Broadsword, Cameron, Darrington, Davis,
      Fulcher, Goedde, Hammond, Heinrich, Hill, Jorgenson, Keough, Lodge,
      McGee, McKague, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson, Siddoway
      Absent and excused -- Gannon, Geddes
    Floor Sponsor - Kelly
    Filed in Office of the Secretary of Senate

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                                       IN THE SENATE

                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 128

                           BY RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    STATING LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND REQUESTING THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL
  3        QUALITY  AND  OFFICE  OF  ENERGY  RESOURCES  TO COMPILE A REPORT REGARDING
  4        GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND TO SUBMIT  THE  REPORT  BY
  5        JULY  1, 2008, TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL INTERIM COMMIT-
  6        TEE ON ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.

  7    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  8        WHEREAS,  there  are  indications  that  atmospheric   concentrations   of
  9    greenhouse gases are rising and are projected to continue to increase; and
 10        WHEREAS,  human  activities  and  most significantly the burning of fossil
 11    fuels, contribute to the creation of greenhouse gases; and
 12        WHEREAS, greenhouse gases are believed to trap heat in the atmosphere  and
 13    have  been  linked  by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences to climate change
 14    and more specifically drought, reduced snow pack, altered  precipitation  pat-
 15    terns,  more  severe  forest  and  rangeland fires and forest diseases, all of
 16    which have economic and environmental impacts on Idaho; and
 17        WHEREAS, over forty percent of Idaho's power comes from  coal-fired  power
 18    plants in neighboring states and, taking into account transportation, approxi-
 19    mately  eighty  percent of Idaho's total end use energy is derived from fossil
 20    fuels; and
 21        WHEREAS, development of in-state renewable energy resources and the devel-
 22    opment and implementation of energy conservation and  efficiency  technologies
 23    can  dramatically  reduce  greenhouse gas emissions while bringing significant
 24    economic and environmental benefits to Idaho, including greater  energy  secu-
 25    rity  and independence, improved air quality, economic vitality and diversity,
 26    development of new  and  innovative  technologies,  increased  opportunity  to
 27    recruit  new  business  to Idaho, high wage job growth and increased state and
 28    local tax revenues; and
 29        WHEREAS, Idaho has an abundance of  natural  resources  including  fertile
 30    crop and forest lands, hydropower, geothermal heat, wind and solar energy, all
 31    of  which  provide an opportunity for Idaho to grow its natural resource-based
 32    economic sectors and provide opportunities for the reduction of greenhouse gas
 33    emissions; and
 34        WHEREAS, Idaho is well-suited to become a significant producer  of  renew-
 35    able energy including geothermal, solar, and wind energy and to take advantage
 36    of markets in biofuels and carbon trading; and
 37        WHEREAS,  Idaho's  institutions  of higher learning and the Idaho National
 38    Laboratory offer valuable infrastructure to pursue  research  and  development
 39    associated with new energy technologies; and
 40        WHEREAS,  the  Idaho Legislature formally adopted the Idaho Energy Plan as
 41    prepared and adopted by the Legislative Council Interim Committee  on  Energy,
 42    Environment and Technology on January 26, 2007; and
 43        WHEREAS,  the  purpose of the Idaho Energy Plan is to serve as a guide for
 44    state policymakers and all Idaho citizens and businesses, in  their  decisions

                                       2

  1    about Idaho's energy production, delivery and consumption; and
  2        WHEREAS, the Idaho Energy Plan calls on the state to prepare for the like-
  3    lihood  of  future  greenhouse  gas  regulation, and recommends policies which
  4    place the highest priority on the development of energy conservation  and  in-
  5    state renewable resources; and
  6        WHEREAS,  in Executive Order 2007-05, the Governor ordered the Director of
  7    the Department of Environmental Quality to serve as the central point of  con-
  8    tact  for  coordination and implementation of Idaho's greenhouse gas reduction
  9    efforts and other  associated  activities,  including  the  development  of  a
 10    greenhouse  gas emission inventory and providing recommendations to the Gover-
 11    nor on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in  Idaho,  recognizing  Idaho's
 12    interest in continued growth, economic development and energy security; and
 13        WHEREAS,  in  Executive  Order 2007-15, the Governor created the Office of
 14    Energy Resources within the Office of the Governor, among other things  giving
 15    the Office of Energy Resources the responsibility to advise the Legislature of
 16    the  state's  energy requirements, supply, transmission, management, conserva-
 17    tion and efficiency efforts, and providing assistance for energy  conservation
 18    projects  and  renewable  energy  resource  opportunities and assisting in the
 19    development of energy-efficient technologies.
 20        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second  Regular  Ses-
 21    sion  of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Repre-
 22    sentatives concurring therein, that  the  Idaho  Department  of  Environmental
 23    Quality and the Office of Energy Resources are requested to work together and,
 24    with other entities in the state, to compile and assess the available informa-
 25    tion and prepare a report which shall:
 26        (1)  Identify  potential  economic  growth  opportunities  associated with
 27        future regulation of greenhouse gas emissions including  avenues  for  new
 28        business opportunities in Idaho; and
 29        (2)  Identify specific steps that the state could take to develop in-state
 30        renewable  energy  resources and to develop and implement energy conserva-
 31        tion and efficiency technologies that will  benefit  the  economy  of  the
 32        state; and
 33        (3)  Identify  other  steps that the state could take to reduce greenhouse
 34        gas emissions while enhancing our economy and taking a leadership role  in
 35        addressing the effects of climate change; and
 36        (4)  Identify any  regional or national efforts that the state should par-
 37        ticipate  in to work with other entities on cross-jurisdictional solutions
 38        and opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare  for  and
 39        respond to the effects of climate change.
 40        BE  IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall be submitted to the Governor
 41    and the Legislative Council Interim Committee on Energy, Environment and Tech-
 42    nology no later than July 1, 2008. The report may be used by  the  Legislative
 43    Council  Interim  Committee  on  Energy, Environment and Technology to develop
 44    recommendations and legislation for the 2009 session of the Idaho Legislature.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 17879

This Concurrent Resolution takes a step towards implementing two
provisions of the Idaho Energy Plan: one calling on the state to
prepare for the likelihood of future greenhouse gas regulation
and another recommending policies which place the highest
priority on the development of energy conservation and instate
renewable resources.  The Resolution requests that the Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality and the Office of Energy
Resources prepare a report identifying opportunities and steps
the legislature could take to meet these Energy Plan goals.



                           FISCAL NOTE

The tasks identified are within the scope of the existing duties
and responsibilities of the Idaho Department of Environmental
Quality and the Office of Energy Resources and will be funded by
the existing budgets of those entities.





CONTACT
Name: Sen. Kate Kelly              Sen. David Langhorst
      Sen. Clint Stennett          Sen. Gary Schroeder
      Rep. Wendy Jaquet            Rep. Wendy Jaquet
      Rep. Sue Chew                Rep. Sharon Block
Phone: 208-332-1351


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                       SCR 128