Mich. Senate to pursue energy issues separately after 'tie-bar' broken on House energy package

摘要

The Michigan Senate was expected to move swiftly to pass legislation providing for a statewide renewable portfolio standard after senators last week separated an energy package adorned with "Christmas tree" add-ons sent to them earlier this year by the House of Representatives (EUW, 28 April, 19). "We broke tie-bars that were in the RPS bills," said Chris Gillett, legislative aide to Senator Bruce Patterson, chairman of the Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee. Until Patterson's panel voted 5-1 on June 3 to remove the tie-bars, senators were unable to vote separately on energy bills ranging from RPS to proposed changes in Public Act 141, the state's eight-year-old electric choice law. Under the RPS measures, the state must get at least 10% of its power from renewables such as wind, solar and biomass by 2015. State Representative Frank Accavitti, who authored H.B. 5524, the choice rollback bill, linked several energy bills together in a package. Other proposals, including a tax break for a major Michigan industry, Hemlock Semiconductor, were attached as well, ostensibly to broaden legislative support for the overall package.