WHEREAS the energy policies of the past are still not working. Our nation continues its dependence on foreign energy and we need to develop a plan that ensures the nation will have adequate future supplies. Uncertainty of reliability and price has been harmful to businesses and consumers, and is disruptive to local and regional investment. Reliable and affordable energy underpins every aspect of modern society. Our health, transportation, jobs, economy and standard of living depend on it; and
WHEREAS, to maintain CLUB 20’s commitment to a robust economy and a clean and healthy environment, we need to pursue a national energy plan that will result in a diverse energy portfolio that will include conventional/traditional, unconventional, renewable and alternative energy resource development, energy efficiency and conservation; and
WHEREAS Western Colorado is blessed with an abundance of energy resources that have been critical to accommodating substantial population growth and fueling a dynamic economy. Traditional resources such as oil, natural gas, coal and hydropower have been and will continue to play a significant role in meeting future energy needs and at the same time, resources such as energy efficiency, nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, shale oil, clean coal technologies; and unconventional natural gas technologies are relatively untapped but very promising. Together, the combination of these resources provides the foundation for a clean, diversified and secure energy future; and
WHEREAS the nation needs to develop all available energy resources to:
- Protect the economy from energy shortages and price spikes;
- Augment our pursuit of a national energy policy that will result in a diverse energy portfolio, including conventional/traditional, renewable, unconventional, and alternative energy resource development, energy efficiency and conservation;
- Accommodate the energy needs of a growing, mobile population;
- Better position the energy system to respond to new environmental challenges, including proposed, strict limitations on emissions.
- Take advantage of the development of new technologies that will lower the cost of all energy and reduce the cost of controlling emissions from Western Colorado’s vast fossil fuel resource base; and
WHEREAS refinery capacity and energy transmission infrastructure have not expanded to keep pace with demand.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that CLUB 20 supports the mission to improve the balance and overall adequacy of all energy resources in a manner which will accomplish any or all of the following objectives:
- strengthen economic growth, promote energy price stability, improve the environment, maximize reliability and abundance of diversified resource supplies;
- promote the integration of conventional/traditional, unconventional, and new renewable and alternative energy resource technologies;
- look at providing needed interstate market analysis, transmission efficiency and development, collaboration with both public and private electricity generators, the design of public buildings, model state legislation to encourage clean energy development, transportation system design, and the development of a hydrogen economy powered by clean energy sources;
- stress incentive-based, non-mandatory approaches that will help states achieve their clean and diversified energy goals, and will consider federal programs that could assist in the development of clean and diversified energy;
- To allow energy producers to pursue global markets for their energy products; Balance the impact of the regulatory environment to support a robust energy industry with a clean and healthy environment; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that CLUB 20 supports legislation to pursue a national energy policy that will result in American energy security utilizing a diverse energy portfolio including but not limited to:
- development of conventional/traditional, unconventional, renewable and alternative energy resources;
- energy efficiency and conservation that addresses the present and the future;
- support for best management practices for surface facilities and land-use;
- protection of our natural environment, wildlife , air and water resources
- seeking opportunities to increase the supply of petroleum products through expanded refining capacity, additional pipeline capacity and adequate tanker infrastructure; improving the capability of our energy systems, including refinery and transmission infrastructure for the benefit of end-users.
Adopted 3/2/2001
Amended 4/1/2005
Amended 9/5/2008
Amended 3/28/2014