View Bill Status
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
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
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]] Fifty-ninth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2008IN 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
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