Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. Interviewed as Part of "Environmental Leaders Series:" Discusses His Administration's Energy Initiatives

Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr. discusses his administration's energy initiatives, with particular focus on renewable energy initiatives, in a new video interview now available on the University of Denver Sturm College of Law website. The 45 minute interview can be accessed by clicking here.

Governor Ritter, who served from 2007 to 2011 and who is credited with coining the phrase "the new energy economy," was interviewed by Don Smith, Director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law & Policy program.

The interview provides an inside look at Governor Ritter's energy philosophy as well as the challenges he faced in implementing it. Among the key observations made by Governor Ritter are:

• The competitive advantages of establishing a renewable energy portfolio standard (i.e., a minimum level of generation from renewable sources) "are undeniable."
• Colorado is the best place in the world for research and technological development related to renewable energy.

Governor Ritter, who now directs the Policy Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, also discusses how he came to believe that renewable energy, and "the new energy economy," should be a key foundation of his administration's work, why he supported increasing the state's renewable portfolio standard from 10 percent to 30 percent during his term in office, and how the barriers to additional renewable energy development might be addressed.

Professor Smith said, "As Governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter Jr. was one of the nation's leading advocates of renewable energy. But even more importantly in many respects was the Governor's ability to translate his policy vision into legislative reality. The interview with Governor Ritter, which is now available to anyone by way of our website, is one more step in the Sturm College of Law's goal of being 'the' renewable energy law school in the U.S. Next school year (August 2011-June 2012) the Sturm College of Law will offer four renewable energy-related courses, along with numerous other undertakings by faculty and students that also will build our institutional renewable energy expertise."

"It was an honor to host Governor Ritter at the Sturm College of Law. Anyone interested in renewable energy law in any part of the U.S. -- or internationally for that matter -- should watch this video and take account of the Governor's observations. His is one of the most credible voices in the nation talking about renewable energy," Professor Smith said.