Yesterday, President Obama nominated Ron Binz to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Binz is the former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and a senior policy advisor to Colorado's Center for the New Energy Economy, a Colorado State University initiative headed by former Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.
Binz is uniquely suited to fill the shoes of outgoing chairman Jon Wellinghoff: Colorado's rapid adoption of aggressive renewable energy standards as a model for a national blueprint that Binz will now oversee. To make the kinds of transitional change called for by the President on Tuesday in his national climate plan, our Colorado model provides a state example of how to reach the destination.
Congratulations to Ron on his nomination – and to all those who have made this day possible. The hard work of those who set the stage for our New Energy Economy – starting at the ballot box in 2004 when we passed the first citizen-initiated renewable portfolio standard in the nation, Amendment 37 through the recent passage of SB13-252 – made our "Colorado story" possible. By extension, everyone who contributed to this uniquely Colorado story has made possible the nomination of a fellow Coloradan to now influence a national platform.
It's a great day for both Colorado and our country.