Energy & Environmental Policy

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Energy & Environmental Policy

Energy and Environmental Policy (E2P) at the Independence Institute

By all measures, life is better. Because of our ability to safely, responsibly and efficiently develop natural resources, our standard of living is up, life expectancy is up, and our environment is cleaner. Individuals prosper while also enjoying a healthy planet. If we create an atmosphere where human potential flourishes and we dare to imagine, then everyone can reap the benefits of affordable, reliable, abundant, and safe power and revel in the beauty of a thriving environment.

Our Vision

Access to affordable, reliable, abundant, safe energy and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive. At E2P we envision a Colorado where every person is in control of his or her own energy and environmental destiny. Private property owners are in the best position to protect their land and environment, and the choice of energy resources and how they are utilized should come from the demands of an innovative and free market.

What is the role of government? To remain neutral, let markets work, let individuals innovate, limit regulations, and refrain from picking winners and losers.

Our Principles

People first
Celebrate prosperity
Innovation over regulation
Commonsense conservation
Primacy of private property rights
Results over rhetoric
Reject cynicism

Free Market Energy and Environmental Policy

Embraces our entrepreneurial spirit and optimism that we can have affordable power, responsible domestic energy development, and a clean environment.
Puts individuals in the driver’s seat and allows them to control their own energy future.
Lets the choice of energy resources come from the demands of the free market, and not from the preferences of policymakers, lobbyists, or special interest groups.
Champions private property rights.
Challenges the 80-year-old, monopoly utility model of electricity generation and distribution.
Puts states ahead of Washington, D.C.
Encourages limited and consistent regulations.
Rejects taxpayer funded subsidies.
Doesn’t pick winners and losers.
Welcomes transparency.

Latest Posts

The False Panacea of Renewable Energy
- February 10, 2004
IB-2004-B (February 2004) Author: The Center for the American Dream PDF of full Issue Backgrounder Scribd version of full Issue Backgrounder Renewable energy — wind, solar, hydro, and biomass — is advertised as superior to coal, gas, and other non-renewables. But renewable energy comes at a high environmental and economic cost. Moreover, government subsidies to
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The False Panacea of Renewable Energy
- February 5, 2004
Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar, and biomass are viewed by many as superior to coal, gas, and other non-renewables. Eventually, some or all of these forms of energy may be viable. However, government subsidies and incentives for renewables can create more problems than they solve.
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Should Colorado Go Green?
- March 12, 2003
Some Colorado politicians are attempting to develop policies to promote renewable energies (so-called green energies)* because of the perceived health and environmental risks of coal and natural gas power. Pro-green advocates often claim that renewable energies are more efficient than traditional energy generation technologies.
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Should Colorado Go Green?
- March 10, 2003
Analyzing and Debunking the Myths of Colorado’s Renewable Energy Policy IP-5-2003 (March 2003) Author: Matthew R. Edgar PDF of full Issue Paper Scribd version of full Issue Paper Executive Summary Some Colorado politicians are attempting to develop policies to promote renewable energies (so-called green energies)* because of the perceived health and environmental risks of coal
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Drowning in Legislation
- March 10, 2003
A Review of Water Bills Before the 2003 General Assembly IP-1-2003 (March 2003) Author: J. Craig Green PDF of full Issue Paper Scribd version of full Issue Paper Executive Summary Colorado water law developed over the last 150 years to recognize and protect private property rights in water use, despite repeated attempts to centralize and
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Use It Or Lose It Colorado's Oldest and Best Recycling Program
- October 12, 2002
The subject of water rights in Colorado often generates confusion, anger and hysteria, even among those experienced in dealing with it. According to one old timer, “Whiskey’s for drinkin’. Water’s for fightin’.”
Colorado is notorious for the number of water lawyers it has, and it’s easy to criticize a system of law that generates so much conflict. However, much criticism of this system is based on a poor understanding of how and why it works. Some people believe Colorado should more closely follow the model of other western states where water allocation is more tightly controlled by government, and less by market forces. I argue in this paper that its free market origins and traditions are the strength of Colorado water law, based on protecting private property rights against all comers, public and private. This can work as well for streamflow protection as it has for power plants.
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Contact

Jake Fogleman
Policy Analyst, Energy & Environmental Policy Center
Email: Jake@i2i.org

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