A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY WITHIN THE SERVICE TERRITORIES OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has significant renewable energy resources, from wind to biomass to solar to geothermal; and

     WHEREAS, many of these resources are available in rural areas of the state where economic development is needed to support communities, families and businesses; and

     WHEREAS, Governor Richardson and the legislature have made a high priority of bringing these renewable resources to market; and

     WHEREAS, the west and the southwest are developing strong appetites for renewable energy, as attested by California's twenty percent renewable energy requirement, with a deadline expected to be moved to 2010 later this year, and the new ten percent renewable energy requirement passed by Colorado voters in 2004; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico has also adopted a renewable energy requirement of ten percent by 2011; and

     WHEREAS, many rural areas are served by cooperative electrical associations, rather than utilities, and by generating and transmission cooperatives that provide energy transmission; and

     WHEREAS, the governor and the legislature want to help local electric cooperatives and local businesses achieve their goals for new renewable energy generation and transmission;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested to convene a task force, to be composed of representatives of New Mexico electric cooperatives, businesses, ranchers and farmers interested in renewable energy generation and transmission, the public regulation commission and any other appropriate state agencies, including the transmission and storage authority proposed in Senate Bill 627 and House Bill 748 of the first session of the forty-seventh legislature, should either bill become law, for the purposes of:

          A. exploring ways in which the state can encourage and support the development and transmission of rural renewable energy resources; and

          B. providing a forum for public outreach and input on New Mexico's rural renewable energy potential; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force hold meetings in different areas of the state to enable energy consumers in different electric cooperative service territories to provide input; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report back to the governor and the appropriate interim legislative committee by October 1, 2005 with recommendations for state legislation, funding alternatives and policies that could encourage renewable energy development in rural areas of New Mexico within electric cooperative service territories; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources and the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council.