WisBusiness.com: Task force chairs suggest changes to clean energy bill

By Greg Bump
WisBusiness.com

The chairs of the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming forwarded nearly two dozen suggested changes — including one on nuke power — to the special legislative committees working on clean energy legislation.

“These modifications would better conform the Act to the Task Force’s intent in making its recommendations and we believe will strengthen the Act,” Roy Thilly and Tia Nelson state in previously undisclosed Jan. 26 memo.

According to the memo, former members of the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming, committee alternates and work group chairs met informally Jan. 8 and Jan. 22 to discuss the “Clean Renewable Jobs Act” that was unveiled earlier this year. Those meetings included staff members from the Dem offices of Sens. Jeff Plale and Mark Miller and Reps. Jim Soletski and Spencer Black, whose committees are working on the bill, along with Leg Council. The committee notes this was done at the request of the four lawmakers.

The suggestions mainly focus on technical language and don’t include changes to the bill’s goal of requiring 25 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable energy by 2025 or energy use reduction goals.

But one of the suggestions reflects concerns about the wording of a provision to ease restrictions on the building of future nuclear plants, specifically language that would prohibit power generated from potential plants from being sold outside the state.

“Further thought should be given to issues that have been raised with respect to constitutionality and the non-severability clause, so these concerns can be resolved, while staying true to the Task Force’s intent,” the memo reads.

The Senate committee has hearings scheduled for Feb. 10 and Feb. 11. The Assembly committee will hold a hearing on Feb. 15.

The committee chairs haven’t indicated if they’ll accept the proposed changes.

See the memo:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/100203Thilly_Nelson_letter.pdf