Feature Articles
CDA Explores Small Hydropower Opportunities
Through the “Advancing Colorado’s Renewable Energy” (ACRE) program, the Colorado Department of Agriculture hopes to create a small hydropower road map for Colorado agriculture. The goal is to identify small hydropower renewable energy opportunities based on the “achievability” of those opportunities.
28May2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Front Range Oil and Gas Development Nexus
for Policy Clashes
>> Front Range Setting for Fracking Fight
>> Did Arapahoe County Take Right Path on Gas, Oil?
>> Boulder County Will Try Phasing in Drilling
>> Fort Collins Relaxes Fracking Ban for Only Operator
The Calm Before the Solar Storm
How do we know solar has officially arrived? Some major electricity players are aggressively moving into the distributed solar market. NRG Energy, whose core business model has been based on providing central thermal power to distribution utilities, is now shifting gears to start offering solar and natural gas combinations direct to consumers.
23May2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Colorado Beats Five Southwest States in Support of Electric Vehicles
The state legislature passed six different bills supporting electric vehicles in the 2013 session, boosting the state to an A- ranking in a report card comparison of six southwestern states’ government policies designed to push the cars from showrooms to roads.
21May2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Interior Issues New Drilling Rule on Public Land
Companies that drill for oil and natural gas on federal lands will be required to disclose publicly the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations, the Obama administration said. But environmental groups are already labeling the new proposal weaker than last year’s plan.
20May2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Colorado Renewable Energy Bill Gets Call for Veto From GOP Lawmakers
Senate Bill 252, which passed May 1, requires the state’s rural-based nonprofit energy cooperatives to increase the amount of renewable energy offered to 20 percent by 2020 — an unfair burden on the state’s rural communities, say opponents. Hickenlooper is still reviewing the legislation.
14May2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Sponsor Pulls Higher Oil and Gas Fines Bill
House Bill 1267 was killed Wednesday by the lawmaker who first proposed it. Democratic Rep. Mike Foote of Lafayette decided to drop the proposal rather than pass a version that does not include minimum fines on significant spills, as the state Senate had insisted.
9May2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Hickenlooper Gets Dems to Flip, Kills Two Bills to Regulate Oil and Gas
It’s been known for weeks that House Bill 1316, which would require oil and gas companies in the Greater Wattenburg Area to abide by the same groundwater testing regimes as the rest of the state, didn’t have much of a chance to pass the Senate.
8May2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Denver Named #3 Oil and Gas City in the World
Only two areas in the entire world beat out the Mile High City for the brightest future for oil and gas industry careers, according to a new survey by Rigzone. In addition, unconventional oil and gas activity statewide created
77,600 jobs in 2012.
Supporters Hail Passage of Rural Renewable Energy Legislation
Proponents say Senate Bill 252 will increase opportunities for rural economic development and reduce pollution across Colorado. But passage will lead to higher electrical rates, said a media campaign launched by the electrical co-op industry.
2May2013 | admin | 1 comment | Continued
Front Range Legislative and Regulation Updates
>> RES Bill for Rural Colorado Passes House
>> Arapahoe County OK’s Fast Track Drilling
>> Dems Move on Water Bill Opposed By Governor
>> Higher Drilling Fee Measure Defeated
>> US Energy Gets Fed Approval for Mine
Fracking Is Draining Western Water, Says
Regional Group
Oil and gas extraction practices are permanently removing at least seven billion gallons of water from the hydrologic cycle each year in just four arid western states, according to a new report published by the Western Organization of Resource Councils.
29Apr2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued
Bill Would Fast Track Permitting For Oil and Gas Companies That Meet “Enhanced” Air, Water Standards
SB 284 requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to provide “expedited air quality permitting” for oil and gas facilities if companies certify they’ll use specific pollution control technology. The same type of criteria will apply to water.
26Apr2013 | admin | 0 comments | Continued-
Assessing Oil and Gas Influence on State Politics – Two Views
A left-leaning watchdog group released a report late last week that contends the oil and gas industry exerts an outsized influence on Colorado politics, and generous political spending might be the reason. Colorado Ethics Watch does not accuse the oil and gas industry of wrongdoing, but does suggest it benefits from spending so freely to influence politicians.
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Clean Energy Collective is now based in Boulder Colorado. 
Though a small step and almost over 16 years into the die-off of our forests, this effort should be applauded ...
The best ballot initiative is one that will ban initiatives. Otherwise what is the point of electing legislators. 
Thanks for the info Fred! 
Tri-State Board Policy 117 limits member co-op generation to 5%.
LPEA has asked them to lift that for community solar gardens.
https://www.lpea.coop/pdf/board_meeting/resolutions/2012/201213_tristate_policy_117.pdf 
To see this exciting change as "scary" seems incredibly short-sited to me. Between the increasing power demands caused by ...