Western Resource Advocates
For Support Of The Energy Program And Implementation Of Clean Energy Policies
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Amount$200,000
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Program
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Date Awarded11/15/2010
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Term12 Months
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Type of SupportGeneral Support/Program
Strategies
Overview
Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is a long-time Hewlett Foundation grantee that is dedicated to protecting the West's land, air and water, and specifically works to advance clean energy alternatives to reduce pollution and the threat of global climate change. The power sector work at WRA focuses on advocating policies aimed at steering the investment practices of the multi-billion electric industry away from coal-fired power generation and toward cleaner energy resources. With the 2010 passage of the Colorado Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act, a framework to retire at least 900 megawatts of coal plants was passed by the Colorado legislature, and has the potential to provide a national model for other coal-dependent states. However, implementation of the Act is not yet secure. This grant will provide Western Resource Advocates (WRA) with the resources needed to develop the technical, legal and financial case before state environmental and energy regulators that allows for a transition of Colorado's energy sector away from coal generation toward renewable power, energy efficiency and some transitional to natural gas.
About the Grantee
Grantee Website
www.westernresourceadvocates.org
Address
2260 Baseline Road, Suite 200, Boulder, CO, 80302-7740, United States
Grants to this Grantee
for the videoconferencing project
We recommend support to the Western Resource Advocates (WRA) to purchase web-based videoconferencing equipment and services for their offices in Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. WRA is a long-time grantee of the Hewlett Foundation with a strong record of policy successes protecting western lands and promoting clean energy and low carbon strategies in the Intermountain West. A web-based videoconferencing system will enable WRA to more effectively link program staff and other partners without requiring equipment at every meeting location, significantly save on travel costs, and create a model for mitigating CO2 pollution.
for the Energy and Oil Shale program
Western Resource Advocates is a long-time Hewlett Foundation grantee with a strong record of policy successes protecting western lands and promoting clean energy and low carbon strategies in the Intermountain West. This two-year grant would provide general program support for Western Resource Advocates’ energy program efforts in the electric power sector and for the prevention of oil shale development in the West. The organization achieves its goals through a pragmatic mix of economic analysis, legal interventions, and public advocacy. Its focus for the next two years includes:
• Integrating at least 25 percent renewable power (with associated transmission lines) into the western energy system by 2020.
• Blocking any new coal plant from being developed in the West and retiring at least 25 percent of existing coal plants by 2020.
• Reducing the amount of water dedicated to energy production and protecting water quality from the impact of energy development.
• Advocating for market and regulatory reforms within the power sector that allow for more demand-side management and energy efficiency policies.
• Blocking all commercial development of oil shale or tar sands within the Intermountain West.
