Viewpoint: Clean Power Plan means more Colorado clean energy jobs

Long days outside while growing up on a Pennsylvania dairy farm instilled in me respect for the power of two of our planet’s most fundamental natural forces – the sun and wind. Here in Colorado – where we have the potential for renewable sources of energy to power our entire state 200 times over our current needs – the sun and wind are powerful economic forces, too. Colorado has been a leader in harnessing these valuable resources. Through commonsense state-level policies like our Renewable Portfolio Standard – which was enacted under a Republican governor in 2004 and ensures we generate a share of our energy from renewable sources – we’ve expanded our economy, created thousands of good, high-paying jobs and helped protect the fragile environment our tourism and recreation industries depend on by reducing the harmful carbon emissions that exacerbate climate change. More recently, a new federal policy finalized this summer will help expand Colorado’s clean energy economy even further. This policy – the Clean Power Plan – sets the first-ever carbon emissions standards on our nation’s power plants. At a pair of public listening sessions downtown on Wynkoop Street this week – the only Clean Power Plan listening sessions west of the Mississippi – representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be on hand to hear what people from across our region have to say. Here’s what I and other Colorado business leaders will tell the EPA: By sending a strong, clear market signal to the private sector to invest in low-carbon energy technologies like solar, wind and energy efficiency, the Clean Power Plan will help expand our state’s already strong clean economy. Colorado’s booming wind energy industry alone has created between 6,000 and 7,000 jobs across the state at more than 20 manufacturing plants and nearly 30 wind farms. All told, Colorado’s wind industry employs nearly 10 percent of the entire U.S. wind industry workforce. Wind has also attracted nearly $5 billion in investment capital to our state and saved Colorado more than $20 million in fuel costs. In rural counties like Logan, Prowers, Weld and Lincoln, wind farms have created a much-needed new revenue stream for farmers and ranchers. Because of small, unobtrusive wind turbine footprints, these farmers and ranchers can continue to work their land for agricultural purposes while simultaneously raking in lease payments. Combined, Colorado’s wind industry generates nearly $8 million annually in lease payments to farmers, ranchers and other landowners. These wind turbine lease payments – essentially a valuable new cash crop – help boost school district budgets so they can hire more teachers and buy more books. Solar energy is also growing Colorado’s economy. Thanks in part to ongoing construction in Pueblo at what will be the state’s largest solar farm, Colorado ranked in the Top 10 for the fifth consecutive quarter in the latest clean energy jobs rankings published by the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Across the state, about 4,200 people work in Colorado’s solar industry, and they’ve helped install enough solar capacity in the state to power more than 76,000 homes – a number that rises each day. Energy efficiency also has a big role to play in cutting our carbon emissions while growing our economy. In fact, using energy smarter in our homes, business and schools is the cheapest, cleanest and fastest way for states like Colorado to meet the Clean Power Plan’s carbon pollution standards. Scaling up efficiency to help meet Colorado’s power plant emission-reduction target could save $4.8 billion and help create nearly 7,000 jobs over the next decade, according to another recent report from E2 and Golden-based Energy Efficiency Business Coalition. Despite opposition to the Clean Power Plan by Attorney General Cynthia Coffman and some of her peers – who together recently filed a lawsuit that rests on extremely shaky legal ground given previous rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court – Colorado remains well-positioned to strongly implement the plan. Doing so would grow our economy, create good jobs and attract to our state more businesses and their much-needed investment capital. When EPA representatives are in town this week, that’s the message they need to hear.