Renewable energy bill doesn't make it past committee

Richard Piatt reporting A bill calling for renewable energy use in Utah failed today in a Senate committee.

An attempt to help get clean air through the use of renewable fuels of power companies failed. Sen. Scott McCoy tried to reduce our dependence on coal-powered electricity, but those in the industry say there are technical concerns that pose a problem.

"Some states, it's very easy for them to bring renewables on, and they have also a good source of renewables for wind resource or solar resource or whatever. Transmission constraints can make it very difficult," explained Mike Peterson, of the Utah Rural Electric Association.

"We all agree that we need to be sensitive to air quality issues, we need to be sensitive to climate issues, and we need to start to look at these renewables as a way to move us to a cleaner, greener future," McCoy said.

Clearly that kind of concern is not going away.

There is another bill on Capitol Hill right now that is addressing that. But even if that one doesn't go through, then it will probably come up again in future legislative sessions.

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