Joint Committee Committee on Joint Agriculture and Natural Resources (03/14/2012)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:	03/14/2012	ATTENDANCE

Time:	08:01 AM to 08:46 AM	Baumgardner	X
		Brophy	E
Place:	HCR 0107	Brown	X
		Carroll	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Coram	X
	Senator Schwartz	Fischer	*
		Giron	X
This Report was prepared by		Grantham	E
	David Beaujon	Harvey	E
		Jones	*
		Looper	*
		McKinley	X
		Ryden	*
		Scott	E
		Tochtrop	E
		Vaad	E
		Vigil	X
		Wilson	X
		Sonnenberg	X
		Schwartz	*
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Wind Energy Industry in Colorado		Briefing only

08:03 AM -- Wind Energy Industry in Colorado

Craig Cox, Executive Director, Interwest Energy Alliance, explained that the legislature is hosting a wind energy day at the Capitol and will consider Senate Joint Resolution 12-019 concerning the contribution of the wind energy to Colorado's economy (Attachment A).

08:06 AM

John Dailey, NextEra Energy Resources LLC, explained that his company is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. and that it is the largest solar and wind energy developer in the United States. He also described wind energy generation facilities and transmission lines owned by his company in Colorado and he identified the economic impacts of these projects to local communities and the state's economy. He also responded to questions from the committee about the companies that supply wind energy turbines and towers for his company's wind farm; property taxes paid by his company; the cost of building wind energy facilities; environmental impacts of wind energy facilities; federal tax incentives for wind energy; permitting process for wind facilities; and other issues.

08:25 AM

Susan Innis, Vestas, described wind energy tower and blade manufacturing facilities and engineering facilities operated by Vestas in Colorado. She also described efforts to expand the wind energy manufacturing in the United States and identified Colorado companies that supply parts and to Vestas. She responded to questions from the committee about the number of persons employed by Vestas in Colorado and related employment issues. She also discussed the factors that led Vestas to locate in Colorado and spoke in support for House Bill 12-1105 concerning wind energy property rights.

08:38 AM

Craig Walker, President of Walker Component Group, explained that his company supplies parts to Vestas and he discussed other companies that he owns in Colorado. He also responded to questions from the committee about how his company became a parts supplier for Vestas.

08:44 AM

Mr. Cox returned to close his remarks and thanked the committee for hosting the presentation on the wind energy industry in Colorado.

08:46 AM

The committee adjourned.