By Art Mass

It seem as though nearly everyone and every entity has a hand out
for money during the bailout period and transition to a new
Washington administration in which we find ourselves.

Governor Ritter is no exception. Given his track record as a
strong proponent for renewable energy, however, he may be in a
better position to expect his request to be granted by the
incoming administration.

Last week the Governor wrote a letter to President-Elect
Obama asking for help with construction of $1.4 billion worth of
transportation projects and paying for new natural gas
pipelines and clean-coal technology development in Colorado.

At the same time, Ritter also requested a significant increase in funding for renewable-energy projects, here in Colorado and across the nation. Doing so, he wrote, could help create jobs in the shor term and improve the country’s ability to compete globally.

Among the recommendations the governor offered:

* Launch a major infrastructure construction project akin to a “Renewable Energy Superhighway” that will guarantee access for all communities to renewable energy generation.

* Increase the federal weatherization budget to $1 billion. In
addition, create a $10 billion program to retrofit inefficient
buildings.

* Raise the energy-efficiency tax credit from 10 percent to as
much as 50 percent and its cap from $500 to $2,500.

* Establish revolving loan funds to be administered by states to residents to install solar panels and accelerate replacement of inefficient vehicles in public and private fleets.

* Spend $1 billion to buy back high-polluting and
nonfuel-efficient vehicles and establish local recycling
facilities to decommission the cars.

* Revise federal law to allow local and state governments to
offer incentives for renewable-energy improvements without
sacrificing the federal tax credit for the same projects.

* Provide a seven-year federal tax moratorium on all new
renewable-energy manufacturing facilities.