David and the Goliaths: How a small environmental group helps reform electric-utility regulation

摘要

In 1991 the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies (LAW Fund), a regional environmental organization, started an Energy Project with two lawyers and a scientist to challenge the energy-efficiency, renewable-resource and environmental-protection practices of utilities in the vast six-state Rocky Mountain region. Within three years, Colorado and Utah had adopted comprehensive integrated resource planning (IRP) rules, and several utilities had developed plans to expand their demand-side management (DSM) activities. The authors discuss the role that this small band of lawyers and policy analysts played in stimulating these changes, based on their first-hand experience with the LAW Fund. They also comment on the substantial influence and valuable services that such a small group can provide.