Hereford, TX Supporting Designation of Competitive Renewable Energy Zones in the Texas Panhandle
Type: Resolution
Status: Adopted on 4/3/06
Source File: http://www.hereford-tx.gov/06-04-03.doc
Text:
RESOLUTION NO. 04.03.06
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF HEREFORD, TEXAS SUPPORTING DESIGNATION OF COMPETITIVE RENEWABLE ENERGY ZONES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, PURSUANT TO SB 20 AND PUC PROJECT NO. 31852
WHEREAS, the need for the United States to decrease its reliance on foreign sources of energy is widely recognized, and President Bush and Congressional leaders from both parties have called for increased development of renewable energy and other domestic sources of energy;
WHEREAS, the United States benefits from adding renewable resources such as wind energy to its portfolio of electric generation sources, as wind energy consumes no water, produces no emissions and can provide low-cost electricity at stable pricing, providing a hedge against volatile pricing of fossil fuel-fired generation;
WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature also recognizes the need for development of new sources of energy to meet Texas’ growing electricity demands, and the desirability of having some portion of such new energy come from renewable resources, which are abundant in Texas;
WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature adopted SB 20 in 2005, establishing a target of 10,000 megawatts of new renewable energy resources to be developed in Texas, and directing the Pubic Utility Commission to designate Competitive Renewable Energy Zones in areas throughout the State with strong potential for production of cost-effective renewable energy, and further directing the PUC to ensure that transmission infrastructure gets built as needed to transmit electricity to market from such zones;
WHEREAS, the Texas Panhandle is blessed with a wind resource ideally suited for wind energy production that ranks the Texas Panhandle among the best regions in the world for cost-effective production of electricity from wind;
WHEREAS, citizens of the Texas Panhandle generally welcome large energy and infrastructure projects and the increased property tax base and economic development benefits such projects produce, and have limited alternative opportunities for economic development;
WHEREAS, the current lack of transmission infrastructure to transmit wind energy from the Panhandle into the ERCOT region where the vast majority of Texas electric consumption occurs is preventing Texas from taking advantage of this abundant and inexhaustible natural resource, and depriving Texas electricity consumers from the savings which can be achieved by tapping into this resource;
WHEREAS, the flat, open terrain of the Texas Panhandle allows for relatively low-cost construction of transmission lines, especially compared to areas with higher population density, trees, complex topography and other barriers to transmission line routing, development and construction.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF HEREFORD, TEXAS:
1. that the City of Hereford supports designation of Competitive Renewable Energy Zones in the Texas Panhandle;
2. that the City of Hereford supports development of wind energy and other renewable energy projects in the City and in the Panhandle Region:
3. that the City of Hereford supports construction of new transmission lines to transmit wind power from the Panhandle Region to consumers of electricity in ERCOT; and
4. that the City of Hereford stands ready to help facilitate siting, permitting and development of such transmission lines and wind energy projects in the Texas Panhandle.