It’s been over a year since a task force released its recommendations for how the state can reduce its impact on global warming, and lawmakers continue to look for ways to implement those proposed changes.
Governor Jim Doyle says he hopes to have legislation out soon that would help to advance some of those reforms. He says it’s a very detailed and technical piece of legislation, and a draft of the legislation could be ready to go in the coming weeks.
However, before the bill has even been finished, critics are already voicing concerns about what it could include and what it will cost to implement.
Recommendations in the 2008 report from the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming include requiring the state to get 25-percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025, new regulations on carbon emissions, and possibly easing restrictions on building new nuclear power plants.
The Governor says something needs to be done soon, or else Wisconsin risks losing out on the economic benefits of developing a strong renewable energy industry. He says states that fail to take action now could miss out.
Doyle says passing the bill will be a top priority in the coming year.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (:59)