Energy
“The Salt Lake Chamber has taken the lead in developing a dynamic energy policy that will combine reasonable growth with responsible environmental stewardship while taking advantage of the state’s energy producing resources, including its abundant natural gas.”
Ron Jibson,
President and CEO, Questar Gas
Statement of Principles:
- Strengthen Utah’s Energy Economy – We recognize Utah’s potential to become a world leader in energy development and environmental stewardship. By relying on market forces and Utah’s innovative spirit, we can responsibly develop our state’s abundant energy resources.
- Secure Sources of Energy – We support the development of Utah’s abundant energy resources. Such strategic development ensures access to energy and decreases economic volatility.
- Responsible Environmental Stewardship – Utah’s spectacular natural environment is a legacy passed on to us from preceding generations and deserves protection. We support innovative and responsible development of energy resources.
2010 Public Policy Priorities:
- Business, State and Federal Advocacy – The Chamber will work with Utah businesses, state officials and the U.S. Congress to influence energy and environmental policies that impact our state.
- Cap and trade – Federal regulation of greenhouse gases must be designed to prevent the transfer of economic wealth from Utah to other states or nations, to minimize the economic hardship on businesses and consumers, to allow for alternative means of compliance and to recognize that global warming is a global problem that requires global solutions. Utah should NOT participate in regional greenhouse gas initiatives.
- Nuclear – We support development of nuclear power if economically viable, including an assessment of economic risks and a policy for storing or reprocessing locally produced spent fuel.
- Support Energy Innovation and Research – Invest in Utah Science, Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR), Utah’s research universities, and the Utah energy and natural resources cluster initiatives, as well as new ideas such as the development of a regional and/or national center for energy research.
- Conservation – The Chamber supports energy efficiency on the part of all residents, businesses, large energy users and utilities. Combined, our efforts will do more to reduce harmful emissions, clean up the air, and address carbon restrictions than any single thing we can do as a citizenry.
- Prudent regulation – Advance sensible utility regulation, which encourages capital investment, removes utility disincentives for demand side management, creates enablers for energy management and provides consumers with pricing signals which reflect the cost of providing energy.
- Support Natural Gas Vehicles – Tax credits for natural gas vehicles should be transferable so local governments can better utilize natural gas fleets. Enhancements to the natural gas corridor are necessary to support cleaner vehicles in Utah.
Recent Accomplishments:
Key Legislation - The Chamber supported key energy legislation passed in 2009, including:
HB 392, Natural Gas for Vehicles, which allows the Public Service Commission (PSC) to authorize a natural gas vehicle rate less than full cost of service.
HB 412, Energy Policy Amendments, which requires the state to determine the economic impacts of a proposed legislative or executive action involving climate change, and to promote and advocate for fair and consistent federal climate change regulation.
HB 430, Economic Development Incentives for Alternative Energy Projects, which created renewable energy development zones in which tax credits could be given for developing renewable energy projects.
HJR 1, Joint Resolution on Cost-effective Energy Efficiency and Utility Demand-side Management, which urges state and local governments, electrical power and natural gas utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and municipal utilities to work together to promote energy efficiency?as a priority.
HJR 12, Joint Resolution Supporting Hydrogen Power from Advanced Coal and Carbon Capture and Sequestration Technology, which supports producing hydrogen from coal with carbon capture and sequestration technology as a means of strengthening Utah’s economy and energy competitiveness.
SB 75, Utility Amendments, which allows a public?utility to expedite rate case decisions and the PSC’s approval process for allowing cost recovery of a major plant addition.
SJR 16, Joint Resolution Supporting Nuclear Power, which encourages new nuclear power development in Utah.
Sustainable Practices – The Downtown Alliance decorated Salt Lake City with LED lights that stretch over 19 miles in Utah’s capital city. The switch to LED lights from incandescent lights results in a savings of 95% on ongoing energy costs. The Downtown Alliance is a strategic partner of the Salt Lake Chamber.
Infrastructure Planning – The Salt Lake Chamber is a partner in the Salt Lake County Electrical Plan Task Force. The task force is developing a plan for the location of substations and transmission corridors in Salt Lake County to accommodate the expected rapid growth in the production of electrical power.
Committee Membership:
Co-Chairs: Carol Hunter, Vice President of Services, Rocky Mountain Power, Clayton Walker, COO, Kennecott Utah Copper
Bette Arial, EnergySolutions
John Barabino, Barabino Group
Kimi Barnett, Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office
Vicki Bennett, Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office
Todd Bingham, Utah Mining Association
Tom Bingham, Utah Manufacturers Association
Bob Bonar, Snowbird
Matthew Buell, Tesoro
Brad Cahoon, Snell & Wilmer
Steve Christiansen, Parr Brown and Waddoups
Jeff Edwards, Economic Development
Corporation of Utah
Mike Farmer, Commerce CRG
Christian Gardner, Gardner Company
Jeff Hartley, Riester
Dennis Haslam, D.H. Consulting & Investments LLC
David Jensen, Innovision Property Group
John Kirkham, Stoel Rives
Dennis Klaus, Salt Lake Community College
Stan Lockhart, IM Flash
Ron Mangone, Strong and Hanni
Dave Pershing, University of Utah
Keith Rattie, Questar
Bob Reeder, Parsons Behle & Latimer
Gary Robinson, Questar
Reed Searle, EnergySolutions
Ian Spencer, CB Richard Ellis
Roger Tew, Utah League of Cities and Towns
Sarah Wright, Utah Clean Energy
Ted Rampton, Utah Associated Municipal
Power Systems