LANSING – With legislative packages to update the state’s energy laws
in both the Michigan House and Senate, Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter said he expects movement by
the fall.
“The timeline has stretched out
a bit,” he said.
Cotter said it is important to him
to get a package passed by the end of the year, saying energy policy and road
funding are what he considers two missing pieces currently.
“I want to see a plan put in
place that would be good going forward and make sure we are avoiding a
situation where … we could have a shortage in power,” he said.
Cotter noted there are competing
arguments on whether or not new federal regulations will lead to a power
shortage.
He also said he has not yet come to
a position on what should happen to the state’s choice program, where
alternative energy suppliers are limited to 10 percent of the market.
In the House, Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), chair of the House
Energy Policy Committee, supports scrapping choice. In the Senate, Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) has proposed
reforming the program. Governor Rick Snyder has also proposed reforms to
the choice program, but still keeping it.
“The number we have now at 10
percent nobody could say that isn’t totally arbitrary,” Mr. Cotter said.
“I don’t think anyone can say that is the right number. I don’t know if
the right number is zero or 100 or somewhere in between.”
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