Climate and energy

“A balanced energy policy” - how many times did all of us read or see that phrase during the recent 2008 legislative session?

The energy policy discussion continues throughout the state. The legislature may be (almost) adjourned, but that seems more and more like a time out than a game over.

This summer and fall, many groups with an interest in energy policy will meet. Several of them will consider making policy recommendations to the legislature for the 2009 session.

Executive Branch
- Governor’s Wind Working Group (WWG)
- Midwest Governors Association (MGA) process - and the MGA working groups
- Kansas Energy and Environmental Policy (KEEP) advisory group and working groups
- Kansas Energy Council (KEC) and its various committees
- Kansas Corporation Commmission (administrative agency) – decoupling docket

Legislative Branch
- Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy (will meet during interim session, members are not finalized until after the November elections)

Judicial Branch (which I am throwing in here because the courts do contribute, albeit often glacially, to policy)
- Sunflower appeal of its denied air permit is in district court as well as in appeals to KDHE
- Wind contract cases are gently simmering in KS district courts as well

(Full disclosure: CEP Executive Director Nancy Jackson is a participant on WWG, the MGA process, and KEEP.)

Feel free to explore those websites linked above. Most of them at least post the presentations that are made to their members. Others also post notes from meetings.

The discussions and questions that come from group participants, though, are often the most interesting and least tracked portion of the processes. KEEP allows the public to call in and listen during the meetings, though.

Note what this list of policy development doesn’t cover – all the other energy-related legislative committees that might choose to meet during the interim. Although since this is an election year, there may not be a whole lot of those. Also, as long as there is not a quorum of a voting body present, legislators interested in developing policy can meet among themselves.

From the executive branch, administrative agencies – like KDHE, the KCC, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, etc. – can offer their perspectives to the legislature as well.

Private interests matter, too. While many of these groups (KEEP, WWG, etc.) have broad representation from different sectors of business and industry, those interests will probably bring their own policy initiatives to the legislature. Or they may join in coalitions to do so.

Last but definitely not least – citizens matter as well. And as the CEP email attests, many, many of you are paying very close attention!

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandnergy.org