''In just a few short years, we have established Colorado as a national and international leader in the New Energy Economy. Colorado is showing the world how to rebuild, reinvent and transition to a new energy future.'' - Bill Ritter

Investing in Colorado's New Energy Future

Bill Ritter understands the importance of creating a modern, 21st century approach to energy, economic and environmental challenges. While helping to increase demand and promote Colorado's vast natural gas reserves as a clean-burning fuel, Bill Ritter also has established Colorado as a national and international leader in the manufacturing, production, and research-and-development of renewable energy by:

• Attracting companies like Vestas Wind Systems and ConocoPhillips to Colorado.

• Creating thousands of new jobs.

• Quadrupling the amount of wind power on the grid.

• Strengthening Colorado's relationship with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory through the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory and other partnerships.

• Requiring that 20 percent of all electricity come from renewable sources by 2020.

• Enacting a “net-metering'' law that allows residential customers to sell excess solar- and wind-generated energy back to their utility company.

• Emphasizing energy efficiency and conservation as part of the New Energy Economy.

• Signing the Renewable Energy Finance Act to increase financing options for new energy projects.

• Colorado must continue charting a path forward and remain a model for how every state can transition to the New Energy Economy.

Since Bill took office, Colorado has brought in thousands of new-energy jobs and hundreds of new energy companies, like Vestas Wind Systems and ConocoPhillips. President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in Colorado because of Colorado's leadership in creating a New Energy Economy. What Bill Ritter has done for Colorado is what President Obama wants to do for the country. Colorado is the national model for how the country can re-tool its economy and create a new energy future.

Natural Resource Protection

As an avid angler and outdoorsman, Bill Ritter is commited to protecting Colorado's natural beauty and resources, which are vital to our communities and the preservation of the Colorado way of life. That's why he is bringing a more modern, 21st century balance to protecting our mountains, forests, wildlife, water and communities, while allowing for the responsible development of natural gas and other energy resources.

Bill Ritter has worked with President Obama and Colorado's congressional delegation to pass a long-overdue federal wilderness designation bill, which protects Colorado's natural treasures for generations to come. He has also fought to safeguard Colorado's irreplaceable resources by:

• Implementing Colorado's first Climate Action Plan, with goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

• Funding species conservation and recovery efforts.

• Establishing aggressive healthy-forest initiatives, including the Healthy Forests/Sustainable Communities Act of 2009.

• Enhancing water quality and water supplies.

• Strengthening accountability within the Conservation Easement Tax Credit Program.