California Senate Approves Rules For Renewable Energy
SACRAMENTO (AP) -- The state Senate has approved a law setting rules for how utilities can meet the state's ambitious goal to draw a third of their power from alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal within 10 years.
Senators on Thursday approved SB2X by Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), on a 26-11 vote.
Utilities already are required to meet the 33 percent goal through an executive order from former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He vetoed a similar Simitian bill in 2009 that would have forced utilities to get most of their renewable power from California sources. The governor said that was not practical.
The new bill strips that requirement but enshrines the goal in state law, rather than leaving it up to air regulators to implement.
(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
