Bipartisan Push to Promote Energy Efficiency Package of Seven Bills

John Daley Reporting A bipartisan group of Utah lawmakers did something today they've never done before: introduce a bipartisan package of bills aimed at promoting efficiency and renewable energy. It's the latest sign of an energy and environmental turning point.

The US consumes a quarter of the world's energy and produces a quarter of the pollution. Pollution we can see every day when the smog gets bad. Now, a perfect storm of factors is pushing for solutions at the local, state and national levels.

Air quality on the Wasatch Front is unhealthy again today. That fact is not lost on artist Jean Arnold and Sam Schmidt, a stock broker. They're worried about smog and what's called peak oil, the idea the world is on the brink of a new energy crisis as demand for oil is outstrips dwindling supplies. They're so worried they've formed a new group called Post Carbon Salt Lake.

Jean Arnold, Salt Lake City Resident: "I saw that we need to start preparing for this on all levels of society and start to involve our community."

Their concerns are echoed on Capitol Hill as a bi-partisan group of lawmakers, for the first time ever, unveils a package of 7 bills to promote energy efficiency and renewables.

Energy Bills

• State Fleet Efficiency
• Cleaner Vehicles
• Renewable Energy Systems

Bills include new requirements for the state's fleet, tax credits for cleaner-burning cars, or investments in renewable energy systems including solar and wind.

Sen. Greg Bell (R), Fruit Heights: "We've tried to keep politics out if it. We've tried to do it based on science and good economics."

Sen. Howard Stephenson (R), Draper: "It's important that we have a multiplicity of conserving as well as using alternative energy sources."

Rep. Ralph Becker (D), Salt Lake City: "I think the climate change issue has also really focused our citizen's attention as well as some of us in the legislature of the need to be much smarter when it comes to energy."

Rep. Roger Barrus (R), Centerville: "This truly is a work of the people. I look at this as government of the people. It's not mandated by government. We as legislators are responding to the work of this energy policy work group, who I think have done a phenomenal job."

Ben Phillips, President, Emery Energy Company: "I would say it's more difficult without the government support especially in the west, where the cost of power is very low, because of the large base loads of coal plants in the west which keep the cost of power low."

With US troops still fighting in the Middle East, the President is now calling for a sharp increase fuel efficiency and renewables, even talking about something his team has steadfastly downplayed, global warming.

President George W. Bush: "These technologies will help us be better stewards of the environment and they will help us confront the serious challenge of global climate change."

In one of the reddest states, Idaho, nearly ten thousand people turned out to fill the Taco Bell Arena to hear Al Gore give a slide show on the topic this week.

Al Gore, Former Vice President: "It really is a moral and ethical issue because it has to do with what we should feel as a responsibility to our children and grandchildren and those who come after us."

For these Utahns, it all feels like a tipping point.

Sam Schmidt, Salt Lake City Resident: "It feels great to be doing something about it."

Consider this fact: besides our oil addiction, on average every American uses 20 pounds of coal a day to power our electric use. So making big changes won't be easy, but things are clearly changing.

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