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A service of the League of Women Voters of Columbia-Boone County, Missouri
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Joni O’Connor, April 19, 2004 before the Columbia City Council:
The Columbia-Boone County League of Women Voters fully supports the premise that Columbia needs to adopt a specific plan to add renewable energy, in gradually increasing amounts, to the city’s power supply.
Increased reliance on renewable energy would greatly benefit public health and the environment.
The coal-fired boilers that now generate most of Columbia’s electricity produce emissions that form acid rain, ozone smog, and cause lung, heart and respiratory problems. During 1999 the Columbia Municipal Power Plant emitted 723 tons of sulfur dioxide, 272 tons of nitrogen oxide, and 96,000 tons of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas.* To these figures should be added mercury, fine particles, and the additional tons of pollutants emitted from other plants in Missouri and Kansas that supply electricity to Columbia Water & Light customers.
Columbia could begin to reduce these adverse impacts by setting specific renewable energy goals as other communities are doing. Last year Fort Collins, Colorado adopted a goal of 15% renewable energy sources by 2017; Austin, TX has set its goal at 20% by 2020. These cities also adopted challenging energy reduction targets.
Renewable power sources have economic advantages that should included in fuel source comparisons. Electricity produced by wind and sun energy has no fuel costs, no waste management costs, and no pollution control costs. How much these expenses will rise in future years is anyone’s guess. On the other hand, the cost of renewable sources continues to drop.
Wind generation is now the fastest-growing energy technology. In 2001 nearly 1700 megawatts of wind capacity were added in 16 states. Bioenergy systems already supply 11,000 megawatts nationwide. There is growing recognition that community investment in locally-produced generation increases reliability of the grid and keeps more energy dollars in the local economy creating new jobs and industries.
Columbia needs to make a commitment now to seek renewable power opportunities so that clean sources will be part of Columbia’s supply portfolio when the short-term contract with AmerenUE expires in December 2007.
We believe this action will have solid support. More than 300 residents readily signed the League of Women Voters petition we are submitting to you tonight. This petition urges the City Council to adopt a Renewable Electricity Standard that sets specific, clean energy goals for the city to attain. The ordinance proposed tonight by Citizens for Clean Energy IS such a standard.
Columbia has always prided itself on being a forward-looking, environmentally-aware community. We ask you to continue that tradition with a commitment to renewable electricity for Columbia.
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* Missouri Action Options for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, MO DNR, July 2002