Wisconsin Senate Committee Hears Public Testimony on Climate Change Bill

The Senate Clean Energy Committee on Wednesday held its first public hearing on Senate Bill 450, implementing the Governor's Global Warming Task Force recommendations.

Because of the sheer size of the bill, the Senate committee is holding separate hearings on specific provisions in the bill. Wednesday's hearing was on the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and energy efficiency provisions in the bill. The main debate centered on the renewable energy mandate, or RPS. Under current law, Wisconsin utilities must generate 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2015. Senate Bill 450 would amend the law to require Wisconsin utilities to generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020, and 25 percent by 2025.

Environmental groups supported the renewable energy mandates, while business groups strongly opposed the provision. Environmentalists claimed the legislation would add jobs, while businesses argued that the mandate would drive up energy costs and thus reduce jobs. One paper company testified that it would seriously have to consider moving its operations out of Wisconsin if the bill were to pass because it would become too expensive to operate in Wisconsin. Other business groups questioned the wisdom behind the mandate citing the fact that Wisconsin already has excess electricity capacity.

Another provision sparking considerable controversy was the the Advanced Renewable Tariffs, or ARTs, provision. This policy would force utilities to purchase renewable energy from small-scale providers within their service territory. The law would allow the PSC to dictate the terms and conditions of the contract. Groups testified that this provision was not contemplated as part of the original Task Force, and argued that it would unnecessarily drive up energy costs.

The hearing is the first of likely three Senate hearings. The Assembly Clean Energy Jobs Committee, which was formed to hear this legislation, will hold its first hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 10:00 a.m. in the State Capitol.