June 28, 2013 07:42 AM UTC

Ron Binz Nominated By Obama To Head FERC

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• by: MichaelBowman

Yesterday, President Obama nominated Ron Binz to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  Binz is the former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and a senior policy advisor to Colorado's Center for the New Energy Economy, a Colorado State University initiative headed by former Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.

Binz is uniquely suited to fill the shoes of outgoing chairman Jon Wellinghoff: Colorado's rapid adoption of aggressive renewable energy standards as a model for a national blueprint that Binz will now oversee.  To make the kinds of transitional change called for by the President on Tuesday in his national climate plan, our Colorado model provides a state example of how to reach the destination.

Congratulations to Ron on his nomination – and to all those who have made this day possible.  The hard work of those who set the stage for our New Energy Economy – starting at the ballot box in 2004 when we passed the first citizen-initiated renewable portfolio standard in the nation, Amendment 37 through the recent passage of SB13-252 – made our "Colorado story" possible.  By extension, everyone who contributed to this uniquely Colorado story has made possible the nomination of a fellow Coloradan to now influence a national platform.

It's a great day for both Colorado and our country.