More Carbon-Free Zones?

Oregon took a major step forward last week toward becoming a carbon-free (or at least carbon-light) state like California. Its Public Utility Commission rejected a proposal by PacificCorp, an electrical utility that serves not only Oregon but also Utah, Idaho, Washington, and California, to seek bids for new electricity generation from coal-fired power plants that the company planned to build in Utah and Wyoming. Oregon PUC chairman Lee Beyer said "we expected PacifiCorp to fully explore strategies that would allow the company to delay a commitment for a big new central generating plant." The proposal, he said, "didn't do that." The Oregon regulators indicated that they would consider taking electricity from coal, but only if the electricity were generated using coal-gasification technology that would enable the CO2 to be captured and sequestered.

Meanwhile, in Utah, a new poll shows that 87 percent of the state wants tax credits to encourage renewable electricity purchases. Governor Huntsman has set aside some funding for new renewable energy startups. Two Republican legislators have introduced separate bills to encourage renewable energy, and the Deseret Morning News, Salt Lake's conservative paper, commented in support of the trend: "relying on 'somebody' to do 'something' at 'some point' might be called 'The Lone Ranger' syndrome. Those with good ideas for alternative fuel should be pitching them, of course, but... everybody else should be looking for ways to conserve energy today..."

Meanwhile, in Texas, a coalition led by State Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco) has launched a campaign for a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants. The group includes doctors and medical associations, religious communities, rural farmers and ranchers, retirees, environmental groups, and local officials. The first move the coalition will make is a rally and lobbying day on February 11th and 12th.

So though the President was blithely talking about miniscule changes in energy policy in his State of the Union, a seismic shift was happening in the public's willingness to tolerate more pulverized coal. Idaho and Utah are the two states where Bush has enjoyed the highest approval ratings. Idaho is already off-limits to coal; opinion in Utah is shifting rapidly, and now Republicans in Waco, Texas, Bush's homebase, are coming out against Big Carbon. It's going to be an interesting year.

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