Dear Friends,

I apologize for not getting these out earlier but we have been extremely busy. We are really busy in committee working very large bills like Immigration, Corporate Income Tax, Credit Unions Vs. Banks, and Budget items.

I wanted to let you all know that I voted in favor of the Holcomb Energy Plant. I trust many of you understand that either way I voted I was supporting multi-BILLION dollar energy. I could support billion dollar coal or I could support billion dollar natural gas. There are several reasons why I voted in the fashion I did and I will list a few below. This has been an issue that makes this position so difficult. I do realize that on a controversial bill as this there will be winners and losers and I know some you will find displeasure in my vote. I am sorry to those folks that did not agree on this one, perhaps the next big issue we can be in agreement.

Reasons to support this legislation:

1. Kansas's best wind farm only produces energy 41% of the time. What are we to do the rest of the time? The answer is we have to "back-up" wind with Natural Gas Fired plants. This would drive up the need for gas and therefore drive up the cost of heating our homes.
2. Western Kansas would pay over 12 cents a Kilowatt hour while we in Eastern Kansas pay 3 cents a Kilowatt hour. Eventhough, I am parochial in a sense and want what is best for the 38th District I do not believe it is good policy to have such a wide disparity in energy costs from eastern to western Kansas.
3. This bill would establish a commission to examine our state's energy needs and environmental responsibilities - a science, not political based process.
4. Require public utilities to generate 20% of the their peak load from renewable resources.
5. Establishes net metering for solar.
6. Construction of high voltage transmission lines that wind energy can use to move power regionally and nationally.
7. Investment in the state of $3.5 BILLION
8. 4000 temporary jobs during construction
9. 300 PERMANENT high paying jobs in a region of the state that has typically had needs funded by eastern Kansas prosperity

I would like to hear your comments. I have of course I have attached two weeks worth of newsletters.

Take Care,
Anthony

House members resume their regular legislative schedules this week, attending committee hearings, working with constituents and meeting on the floor of the House daily. For the next several weeks, we will consider bills that have already passed through the Senate. Likewise, the Senate is working the House bills that we passed out over the course of the last seven weeks. The Appropriations committee will also introduce the budget for debate on the House floor before the end of the month.

The big news this week was the passage of SB 327, the energy bill, by a margin of 75-47. I have included a very brief summary of the conference committee report.

House Energy Plan

• Establishes energy efficiency requirements for state buildings and equipment.
• New and renovated state buildings designed to exceed by 10% national energy efficiency standards; Requires appliances, computers, etc. purchased by the state to be at least as energy efficient as energy star devices; Require property leased by the state to meet energy efficiency standards.
• Creates the Kansas Electric Generation Science and Technology Commission.
• Requires using the best available control technologies to implement carbon dioxide capture. Sets a Renewable Resources Standard.
• By 2012, at least 10% of the three-year average peak load of electric public and cooperative utilities will be from renewable resources increasing to 15% by 2016 and to 20% by 2020.
• Establishes the Net Metering and Easy Connection Act.
• Defines net metering as the use of metering equipment to measure the difference between the electrical energy supplied to a customer and the electrical energy supplied by a customer; customers would be billed for any excess energy provided in excess of the amount generated by the customer; Customers would receive credit applied to the succeeding billing period, at least equal to 150% of the avoided energy cost, for electricity generated in excess of that provided by the utility.
• Clarifies the roles and duties of those involved in the regulatory process.
• Creates tax incentives for energy efficient improvements of non-owner occupied housing units
• Tax credits would be available in tax years 2008 and 2009 for improvements made to the units.
• Requires mercury emission reduction of 80% by generating units that began operation after January 1, 2008 and that use coal to produce over 10% of their heat input.

As you may remember from my previous newsletters, the House Republicans have made budget transparency a top priority this year. I am very pleased to announce that, on March 1st, the website went live. The new website can be found here: http://www.kansas.gov/kanview/.

If you have any questions about the site, or if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.