Western lawmakers wrap up Wyoming energy symposium

Lawmakers from around the West couldn't reach consensus on how to address coal-fired power plant emissions as they closed a three-day symposium on energy issues Tuesday.

But about 75 representatives from 13 states did seem to agree that the nation needs a better system for locating and permitting new power lines.

Spokesmen from the electrical industry warned them repeatedly that it commonly takes years to get new lines built and that construction is lagging behind the nation's growing demand for power.

The agreement ended when it came to the question of how Western states ought to respond to proposals pending in Congress that would impose a cap and trade system on coal-fired power plants. The program would require plants to by licenses to pollute.

As the state lawmakers were debating the question in Jackson, the Obama administration warned on Tuesday that the country runs the risk of falling behind China and other countries in the race to develop clean energy if Congress fails to adopt cap and trade legislation.

Wyoming, the nation's leading coal-producing state, paid for lawmakers from 12 other states to come to Jackson for the energy meeting. States that sent legislators to participate in the event include: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Lawmakers from New Mexico and California were invited but had to cancel because they're holding special sessions to deal with budget issues. Edward Randolph, chief policy consultant to the California State Assembly's Committee on Utilities and Commerce attended and spoke for his state.

California's energy decisions follow a state law that essentially prohibits utilities there from entering new long-term contracts for electricity that's generated at coal-fired power plants, Randolph said during the symposium.

"Based on what I've heard here, I can virtually guarantee you that the California Legislature and the Wyoming Legislature are not going to agree on what the cap and trade program should look like," he said.

Wyoming House Speaker Colin Simpson, R-Cody, sponsored the bill to create and fund the symposium. He told reporters he's not willing to apply what he called "cap and tax" to the nation's energy system.

"I don't know where the federal policy will lead us," Simpson said. "It looks pretty clear that there has to be a price for carbon. How we get there, I'm not sure."