The Toll Beyond Coal Report
New SDSG Report on Coal Plant Decommissioning Published; Upcoming Webinar Sept. 24
Last week, SDSG published its latest study, “The Toll Beyond Coal: Who Bears the Cost of Coal Plant Decommissioning and Coal Ash Disposal? A Case Study of the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska.” This new report examines how the cost competitiveness of renewable energy and natural gas as well as shifting environmental regulations, like the Coal Combustion Residuals rule, are expediting coal plant closures across the U.S.

In 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law climate and energy legislation designed to help Coloradans combat greenhouse gas emissions. The most prominent among these bills was House Bill 19-1261, a “Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution.” However, municipal utilities serving less than 40,000 meters are not regulated by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Such utilities are therefore not obligated to comply with the renewable energy and emissions standards developed to assist the state in reaching its emissions reduction goals. Yet, these electric customers remain a vital part of the renewable energy transition. 

Many of these municipal utilities not regulated by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission are customers of the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN), a public, not-for-profit entity created to provide wholesale electricity to municipal distribution utilities. While most of the utilities it serves are in Nebraska, 14 of the 70 communities served by MEAN are located in Colorado.

This report assesses the costs of decommissioning coal plants in a renewable energy transition for Colorado municipal utility ratepayers under MEAN. The essential questions that develop from these closures are: What are the decommissioning costs, and who will pay for it? James Cody, Ellen Ross, and Keriann Conroy are lead authors of the study. 

On September 24 at 2 pm Mountain Time, SDSG will be hosting a free, public webinar with Colorado municipal leaders, legislators, and renewable energy advocates to discuss MEAN’s power resource and financial planning. The conversation will also focus on how unregulated municipal utilities may affect the state’s climate action goals. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here or contact Ellen Ross at [email protected]. 
Interns Contribute to SDSG Policy Projects
Featuring Our Summer 2020 Interns
Richard Arnett is a rising second year at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Geology. Among other projects, Richard completed a memo on the intersection between Peru's legal frameworks for land rights, artisanal and small-scale mining rights, and Indigenous rights. In addition, he conducted research on self-bonding in Colorado oil & gas developments, including legislation addressing orphaned wells in Colorado, to inform SDSG recommendations to the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission.
Heather Colby is a third-year law student at the University Denver Sturm College of Law, where she is working toward a certificate in International Law. This summer, Heather drafted a series of memos on Peruvian law and policy, with a focus on women's rights and human rights in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, strategies for formalization of the ASM sector, and impacts of COVID-19 on formalization of the ASM sector. In addition, Heather provided case studies of ASM from other jurisdictions, such as Mongolia, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Casey Morris graduated cum laude from the University of Denver with a B.A. in International Studies and minor in Sustainability, and she is a current law student at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. This summer, Casey researched and wrote about Colorado's Just Transition from a coal-based electrical energy economy to a renewable energy future. She also completed case studies of similar initiatives and lessons learned in other jurisdictions, including Germany, Kentucky, New York, China, and Poland.
SDSG accepts new interns and fellows on a rolling basis, including internships for academic credit. Interns and fellows may work remotely from anywhere in the world or from our Gunnison, Colorado office. If you are interested in an internship with SDSG, please apply here or write to [email protected].
Donate to SDSG and Enter to Win a $50 Gift Card to Patagonia!
Launching Our Fall 2020 Fundraiser
SDSG is launching a Fall 2020 fundraiser! Through the immense changes of 2020, SDSG remains committed to our mission to use research, practice, and teaching to provide guidance on law and policy frameworks that advance best practices for sustainable energy and natural resource development. We continue to work for a future where resource development respects human rights, aligns with the economic and social objectives of local communities, and protects the natural environment.

This past year, project highlights include:

  • IGF Guidance Document: SDSG co-authored a guidance document on Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) with the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF). More information on the guidance document may be found here. A webinar recording that discusses the guidance document may be found here.
  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Project in Peru: This three-year study, titled “A Systems Dynamics Approach to Mapping, Modeling, and Optimizing the Disruption of Illicit Gold Supply Chains in Peru,” is led by Colorado School of Mines in collaboration with SDSG and Futuro Sostenible. The study’s purpose is to better understand Peru’s legal framework as it applies to gold supply chains and illicit activity and to inform mechanisms and strategies to improve the gold supply chain and advance sustainable development objectives in Peru.
  • Aligning International Standards and National Legislation with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDSG regularly reviews international standards and national frameworks for the mining sector to assess and enhance alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Stay tuned for future communications from SDSG to learn how your company could work with us to align your business's strategies, practices, and procedures to sustainability goals.

If you feel called to support our mission as we close out 2020, please donate here. All participants who donate through this link will be entered to win a $50 gift card to Patagonia! Donations of any amount are eligible to win. The lucky winner will be announced in early October. The last date to enter to win is September 30. SDSG is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and all donations are tax-deductible.

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