Legislative News from the Senate Minority Leader...

Senator Clint Stennett
District 25   
Legislative Week #3        
01/26/06

 

This week, along with nearly 10,000 Idahoans, I had the chance to hear former Vice President, Al Gore's lecture on the increasing climate change.  Clearly, we need to take measures now to slow or reverse this trend.  One striking set of images showed a comparison of the thousand-year old glacier at Glacier National Park in Montana.  We first saw a photo of tourists standing in front of a giant slab of ice in the 1970's.  The next image was a photo of the glacier just a few years ago - now nearly gone. Regardless of the controversy over weather cycles, temperatures, and carbon levels, these photos demonstrate that our environment is changing beyond natural cycles, and it is clear that human factors are accelerating the change.
            
Energy issues have been the focus of many of my weekly columns over the past year.  The Vice President's presentation reinforced my commitment and the importance of the work we are doing at the legislature to protect our quality of life in Idaho and reduce our impact on the climate change.  If we continue with business as usual, we are going to see the effects on our coastlines, on our health, our economy and in the intensity of catastrophic storms.   Symptoms are already beginning to manifest here in Idaho.  We are experiencing record breaking warmer temperatures and continually reduced snow pack levels affecting our irrigation and recreation economies.    

 

Coincidentally this week,  the interim Committee on Energy, Environment and Technology released it's first comprehensive energy plan in 20 years.  The plan is nearing adoption.  I was pleased to read that the plan outlines steps we should take to encourage the development of renewable resources, and puts an emphasis on state government as a leader in conservation efforts.

 

I am disappointed that the committee did not call for a statewide siting authority for power generation plants.  After the successful fight last session for a two year moratorium on the construction of coal fired plants, this omission is a regressive step. As most Southern Idahoans will tell you, all affected people near a proposed generation site deserve a voice in the decision about where energy generation plants will operate.  I will continue to push for a state level entity to ensure we are protecting all Idahoan's health, safety and our natural environment. On another note, it was encouraging this week when the House Resources committee reaffirmed our opt-out of the federal mercury cap and trade program - a step in the right direction to keep the worst mercury spewing generation plants out of Idaho. 
            
As the plan outlined, we need to develop alternative sources of clean energy that fuel both our machines and our economy.  Idaho is uniquely suited to be at the forefront of renewable energy initiatives, as clean energy resources are sown on farms and ranches across the nation. The Idaho National Laboratory estimates that we have the capacity to generate nearly six times our annual need for electricity through wind farms with no carbon dioxide emissions.  Five large wind farms built in neighboring Oregon and Washington have created more than $1 billion dollars in investment, mostly in rural communities.  As the economies of rural Idaho communities change, alternative energy production presents a real opportunity to create jobs and property tax revenue while meeting our growing energy needs.

 

A major source of carbon dioxide emissions is our ever increasing fleet of cars, trucks, and equipment.  I recently read an estimate that Idaho has the capacity to produce 305 million gallons of ethanol/bio-diesel fuel per year.  This would satiate nearly half of our annual need for gasoline and diesel fuel and generate $122 million dollars in income for Idaho families.  We have the ability to generate clean energy for our homes, businesses and vehicles.  Idaho can and should lead the West in developing our renewable resources to protect our environment and strengthen our economy. 

 

We can also take progressive action on sequestering carbon through innovative forest and agriculture practices.  I have been working on an Idaho protocol for trading carbon credits.  This would allow our timber and agriculture producers the opportunity to help slow climate change by selling their ability to sink carbon; a process that would remove increasing levels of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it into the soil, plants and trees.   

 

Any comprehensive plan to reduce our emissions and protect our environment must begin with conservation.  Idahoans must begin to take an active role in conserving the energy we currently generate, and state government should take the lead in that effort.  Currently, the statehouse is heated with geothermal energy and we use energy efficient light bulbs.  But, we can do more.  I would support looking into a mandatory recycling program, purchasing more efficient state vehicles, using recycled products and requiring that all our new buildings are built with the greenest available technology. 

 

It is clear to me that our climate is changing.  If we continue on our current course, we will face a perilous situation, the consequences of which are still not fully known.  But, we have the power to change things if we start now.  Idahoans are pioneers and entrepreneurs.  We have the resources, the technology and the need to find new ways to generate power.  Government should do everything it can to provide incentives for innovation and conservation among businesses and individuals.  Together, we must find a way to protect our way of life and our environment. 
            
As always, I welcome any suggestions, or comments you have to offer.  It is my honor to serve District 25.  I can be reached by calling (208) 332-1000 or toll-free 1-800-626-0471,via email at stennett@senate.idaho.gov, or by mail to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum
Senate Minority Leader
District #25