Holsman Selected To Chair Renewable Energy Committee

At left: Holsman outlines priorities for new committee

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - State Rep. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, has been named chairman of the newly created House Special Committee on Renewable Energy. House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, established the committee and selected Holsman to lead it.

"Establishing energy independence from fossil fuels through the development of renewable energy is an important and long road to travel," Holsman said. "Missouri takes another step on that journey with the creation of a legislative committee dedicated to exploring all alternatives for making the state a leader in renewable energy production."

Holsman has established three priorities for the committee:

• Conducting an energy audit of the Missouri Capitol and pursuing options for making it the first truly "green" state capitol building in the country.
• Pursuing better implementation of Proposition C, which Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved in 2008 to establish renewable energy standards for Missouri power utilities.
• Crafting legislation to assist residential, commercial and industrial users of electricity in investing in on-site energy generation.

Holsman is one of just four Democrats holding committee chairmanships this year in the Republican-controlled House.