With the votes for 2B and 2C, Boulder has taken an historic step in changing the way we manage, generate and consume energy. Guided by the targets set out by the city council to empower local decision making, generate energy from low carbon resources and increase efficiency and distributed power, Boulder is now empowered to evaluate all of the options available to them by law.
Overcoming a well funded opposition and being outspent 10-1 was a difficult task, but now the real work begins of developing solutions to accomplish the council’s worthy goals.
The Boulder Clean Energy Business Coalition was developed to marshal the significant intellectual resources in the business community, evaluate options available to the city and propose a vision for a new energy future. We will continue in this role and invite other businesses in Boulder who recognize that changing the energy landscape is critical to Boulder’s role as a leadership community.
We congratulate Xcel and their campaign organizations on a well-fought campaign. As we stated during the campaign, we do not see the votes last night as anti-Xcel, but as votes for pursuing Boulder’s clean energy goals. We now call on Xcel to work cooperatively with Boulder on a proposal that will meet the city’s goals of democratizing energy choices, decarbonizing energy supply and decentralizing energy generation. With or without Xcel, we are pleased that the city has clearly chosen to begin charting a responsible course into the new energy economy.
Shaun McGrath, Tom Plant, and Ted Rose
Boulder Clean Energy Business Coalition