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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo. visited the Holy Cross Energy facility in Glenwood Springs Tuesday, as part of his Colorado Work Force tour.
The purpose of the tour is to discuss job creation and economic revitalization with companies around the state. This tour, which began in February 2009, includes meeting with companies that promote clean energy jobs. And, he said, that it's a good way for him to see firsthand what is, and what is not, working from a business perspective.
“I represent almost 5 million Coloradans. And the way I learn what's on their minds is, I get out and listen,” Udall said. “And from that I generate ideas that don't always result in legislation, but often times do,” he said.
Discussions with Holy Cross executives and board members Tuesday focused on the successes of current Holy Cross programs, Udall said. Everything from energy audits the local energy provider offers, to encouraging homeowners and business owners to switch to photovoltaic solar power systems. He said that they also discussed opportunities for small-scale hydro-electric projects, and streamlining the process in which the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee determines how those types of projects can be accomplished.
“Right now [the process] is a deterrent to bring on small-scale hydro projects,” Udall said.
But, Udall said, the discussions were not only about the successes that a business like Holy Cross has but also about the challenges that it faces in today's economic climate.
“I wanted to hear their story,” he said. “I wanted to understand what's made them successful and what they are hearing from their customers.”
He said that Holy Cross executives wanted to discuss issues like health care and a national energy policy. Holy Cross executives were unavailable for comment Tuesday.
“What they said to me is that they need national leadership,” Udall said. “The utility sector will respond, but until we get a clear message from the national level, [they] can't do everything that they would like to do.”
Udall called Holy Cross a leader in energy efficiency, in green energy, and in creating a 21st-century energy company that could be a model for the rest of the nation. Which, he said, should be the focus in Washington during the next year.
“The focus this year in Washington has to be on job creation,” he said. “That's it. And the ways in which we make sure that people are employed are, in part, tied to expanding green energy technologies and energy efficiency, and also responsibly developing our traditional fossil fuels in Colorado like gas, coal and some oil.”
He said that developing green energy technologies will create jobs in Colorado, as well as the rest of the nation. Everything from constructing wind turbines in areas of Colorado's eastern slope, to installation of residential photovoltaic solar systems. And, he said, that energy audits alone, such as the ones that Holy Cross offers, creates jobs on a local level by having people retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient.
“That is a lot of jobs that are homegrown and are based here in Colorado, and in the United States,” Udall said.
Udall began his Western Slope tour on Tuesday in Glenwood Springs. From there he visited the Collbran Job Corps — which is looking to expand training in green-collar jobs — to tour the facility. Then Udall traveled to Clifton, where he got a tour of the Clifton Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Wednesday's events include meetings with local law enforcement officials in Grand Junction, the Delta-Montrose Electric Association, and a tour of Intermountain Resources, a lumber company based in Montrose. He will end the week in Denver on Friday, hosting an energy job summit.
“We have to get our economy back on its feet,” Udall said. “Clean and green, and traditional energy are all going to be a part of that mix.”
jgardner@postindependent.com
The purpose of the tour is to discuss job creation and economic revitalization with companies around the state. This tour, which began in February 2009, includes meeting with companies that promote clean energy jobs. And, he said, that it's a good way for him to see firsthand what is, and what is not, working from a business perspective.
“I represent almost 5 million Coloradans. And the way I learn what's on their minds is, I get out and listen,” Udall said. “And from that I generate ideas that don't always result in legislation, but often times do,” he said.
Discussions with Holy Cross executives and board members Tuesday focused on the successes of current Holy Cross programs, Udall said. Everything from energy audits the local energy provider offers, to encouraging homeowners and business owners to switch to photovoltaic solar power systems. He said that they also discussed opportunities for small-scale hydro-electric projects, and streamlining the process in which the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee determines how those types of projects can be accomplished.
“Right now [the process] is a deterrent to bring on small-scale hydro projects,” Udall said.
But, Udall said, the discussions were not only about the successes that a business like Holy Cross has but also about the challenges that it faces in today's economic climate.
“I wanted to hear their story,” he said. “I wanted to understand what's made them successful and what they are hearing from their customers.”
He said that Holy Cross executives wanted to discuss issues like health care and a national energy policy. Holy Cross executives were unavailable for comment Tuesday.
“What they said to me is that they need national leadership,” Udall said. “The utility sector will respond, but until we get a clear message from the national level, [they] can't do everything that they would like to do.”
Udall called Holy Cross a leader in energy efficiency, in green energy, and in creating a 21st-century energy company that could be a model for the rest of the nation. Which, he said, should be the focus in Washington during the next year.
“The focus this year in Washington has to be on job creation,” he said. “That's it. And the ways in which we make sure that people are employed are, in part, tied to expanding green energy technologies and energy efficiency, and also responsibly developing our traditional fossil fuels in Colorado like gas, coal and some oil.”
He said that developing green energy technologies will create jobs in Colorado, as well as the rest of the nation. Everything from constructing wind turbines in areas of Colorado's eastern slope, to installation of residential photovoltaic solar systems. And, he said, that energy audits alone, such as the ones that Holy Cross offers, creates jobs on a local level by having people retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient.
“That is a lot of jobs that are homegrown and are based here in Colorado, and in the United States,” Udall said.
Udall began his Western Slope tour on Tuesday in Glenwood Springs. From there he visited the Collbran Job Corps — which is looking to expand training in green-collar jobs — to tour the facility. Then Udall traveled to Clifton, where he got a tour of the Clifton Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Wednesday's events include meetings with local law enforcement officials in Grand Junction, the Delta-Montrose Electric Association, and a tour of Intermountain Resources, a lumber company based in Montrose. He will end the week in Denver on Friday, hosting an energy job summit.
“We have to get our economy back on its feet,” Udall said. “Clean and green, and traditional energy are all going to be a part of that mix.”
jgardner@postindependent.com
