For a politician who has put renewable energy and the environment at the center of his agenda, Gov. Bill Ritter found himself in an unusual situation Tuesday: being attacked by an environmental group.

The group WildEarth Guardians sent out a press release Tuesday dinging Ritter for not embracing a proposal by the Western Climate Initiative for a carbon emissions cap-and-trade program in the western United States.

The Western Climate Initiative is a collaborative of seven western states and four Canadian provinces that works to reduce carbon emissions in the hopes of reversing global warming and cutting dependence on foreign oil. On Tuesday, the Western Climate Initiative unveiled a framework for their cap-and-trade plan to get greenhouse gas emissions to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Colorado, though, is only an observer to the Western Climate Initiative, not a full member, and WildEarth Guardians said Ritter needs to put his policies where his politics are.

“Sadly, while Governor Ritter has called for greenhouse gas reductions in Colorado, he’s refused to join a collaborative effort that promises to make that happen in the western United States,” Jeremy Nichols, the climate and energy program director for WildEarth Guardians, said in the release. “It’s time for Governor Ritter to get serious about reducing greenhouse gases.”

To which Ritter’s mouthpiece responded with the buttoned-down-political-spokesperson version of, Whaaaaaa?

“The governor is supportive of cap-and-trade, very supportive, but he thinks it should be done on a national level, and not on a patchwork state-by-state or even a regional basis,” Evan Dreyer said.

Ritter, Dreyer noted, spearheaded the creation of a “climate action plan” for Colorado that calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. Ritter is a noted advocate for renewable energy who this summer toured the Arctic with people like former President Jimmy Carter to learn more about global warming and hatch policy solutions.

Dreyer said Ritter has elected to keep Colorado as an observer to the Western Climate Initiative – even as nearby states like New Mexico, Utah and Montana have joined in as full members – because he believes more comprehensive carbon emissions regulation will be addressed on a national level by the next president. If that doesn’t happen, Dreyer said, Ritter will consider upping Colorado’s participation in the group.

Other enviro groups, while not letting Ritter off the hook, took a mellower stance on the matter.

“We’d like to see Colorado participating,” said Carrie Doyle, the executive director of Colorado Conservation Voters. “But I also think Colorado is a national leader in reducing carbon emissions.”

In his statement, WildEarth Guardians’ Nichols said Colorado can do more.

“This is a landmark announcement and shows that much of the western United States is committed to safeguarding the climate,” Nichols said. “The next step is to make sure all western states – including Colorado – join in the commitment to tackle climate change for the health and long-term prosperity of western communities. It’s time for Colorado to stop sitting on the sidelines and get in the game.”

The chairman of the state legislature’s audit committee said today he supports a call to investigate the systematic failures that allowed a suspected illegal immigrant who has been arrested at least 16 times to remain in the country.

Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Ritter today told the head of the Colorado Department of Public Safety to form a task force and undertake a similar review.

“It is outrageous to think that a person with this kind of criminal history can avoid our laws and simply roam free in Colorado,” audit committee chairman Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton, said in a statement.

The investigations and the outrage stem from the case of Francis Hernandez, a 23-year-old Guatemalan and suspected illegal immigrant who, police say, on Sept. 4 crashed his SUV into a pickup in Aurora, sending the pickup smashing into an ice cream shop. The crash killed two women in the pickup and a 3-year-old boy in the ice cream shop. Hernandez has been charged with vehicular homicide.

Earlier this week, three Democratic state lawmakers asked the legislature’s audit committee to conduct an investigation into whether gaps in existing laws or their enforcement allowed Hernandez to slip through the cracks. Kerr said the audit committee will discuss the possible investigation at a meeting later this month.

Ritter today told Public Safety Director Peter Weir to convene a task force to look at what problems are preventing local, state and federal authorities from better sharing information about suspected illegal immigrants and what laws need to be fixed to alleviate those problems.

“State and local law enforcement officers continue to experience frustrations due to a lack of federal resources and a clear federal response,” Ritter wrote to Weir. “However, these federal challenges should not prevent state and local agencies from seeking solutions.”

Ritter set a Dec. 31 deadline for the task force to issue a report.

In a sign of how dominant the national energy debate is in politics this year – even in local elections – Democratic state lawmakers today held a news conference urging Congress to adopt a “balanced” energy policy and avoid “drilling-only” solutions.

“Americans really want and are craving a balanced energy policy,” said outgoing House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder. “They want a policy that will wean us off foreign oil.”

Madden, along with Rep. Judy Solano, a Brighton Democrat and one of the most vocal renewable energy supporters at the Capitol, said the nation and the state must work to increase use of wind and solar power while continuing to drill responsibly for oil and natural gas.

They said the country should not look at additional drilling in Alaska or offshore as quick fixes to high energy prices or as a long-term energy strategy.

“We can’t just keep using our natural gas and oil,” Solano said. “We need to use our wind. We need to use our solar. … Drill, drill, drill is not the solution.”

State Republican lawmakers, who have made energy a major selling point in their campaign to gain ground on Democrats in the statehouse, quickly shot back, saying that Democrats are blocking solutions that will drive down consumer energy costs.

“Judy Solano and the Democrats’ idea of a balanced energy policy is like a one-sided teeter-totter,” said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma. “They’re saying no to common sense energy.”

“The Democrats’ idea of a balanced energy policy is to oppose off shore development (unless you’re up for election), stand in the way of nuclear power, refuse oil shale development, and block clean coal,” Gardner wrote in a follow-up e-mail. “They’d rather have an energy policy that dictates how people live, what temperature you heat or cool your home to, and what size of car the family is driving. Working families need energy relief, not government controls on your light switch.”

Gardner and the Republicans are pushing for the state to aid in harvesting more of Colorado’s natural gas and to look at adding nuclear and more hydroelectric power generation to the mix. Gardner said Republicans support renewable energy, but only to the extent that it is competitive in cost.

“A balanced energy policy means more than just talking about renewables,” Gardner said. “Balance means we look at all ways we can reduce energy costs for Coloradans.”

The Democrats, however, argued that renewable energy is becoming more affordable when compared to fossil fuels. Madden said nuclear power and extracting fuel from oil shale would both consume far too much water to be practical in Colorado.

Keith Hay, an energy advocate with Environment Colorado who spoke at the Democrats’ news conference, said lawmakers should be forward-thinking in their policies.

“What we need to do today is invest in a responsible energy plan, tapping our wind and our solar,” Hay said. “Colorado would become a net exporter of these clean, green electrons to the rest of the country.”

Since the legislature adjourned in May, both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers have been talking extensively about energy policy, coinciding with the rise in gasoline prices and the emergence of the issue on the national stage. Candidates and independent groups have sent out mailers and aired television ads either attacking or praising lawmakers for their energy positions.

Whether the nuances of the debate are surviving the cacophony of the campaigning remains to be seen. But the issue is already shaping up as the defining battle of the 2009 legislative session, when Republicans have pledged to introduce a large package of energy-related bills.

Gov. Bill Ritter's big moment speaking before a crowd of 84,000 at Invesco Field at Mile High last week came with a tense surprise.

Already nursing a hoarse voice caused by days of speaking engagements and media interviews, Ritter was about a third of the way through the biggest speech of his life when the TelePrompTer in front of the podium went haywire.

"It was working, and then it just went bonkers," Ritter said. "It started scrolling about a thousand times faster than normal.

"It finally came back on for the last line of the speech. In betweeen then all it said was, 'Hello, I'm Congressman Ed Perlmutter.' "

Ritter, who, by the way, didn't utter those words, found himself trying to remember his speech, having to paraphrase an address that took a lot of work to write and edit with the Obama campaign.

"I certainly had a mental cramp," the governor said.

But he said his years as a trial lawyer having to deal with curve balls in the courtoom helped prepare him for such awkward situations.

"I wasn't terrified," Ritter said. "It was like someone moving the goal post for a field goal kicker. You're set to kick, and suddenly they move the goal post 25 yards laterally."

The recent e-mail messages sent to those who've signed up for Gov. Bill Ritter's e-newsletter seem innocuous enough:

"Read Ryan Lizza's New Yorker article, "The Code of the West," reads the subject line of one. (For those who haven't seen it, the piece is subtitled "What Barack Obama can learn from  Bill Ritter" and features Ritter drawn as a Wyatt Earp-style Western sheriff - star and all.)

"The Governor will be delivering brief remarks at the Democratic National Convention today at Invesco Field at Mile High between 4:30 and 5 p.m. If you can't tune in you can visit www.colorado.gov/governor after his speech to read the full text," reads another.

It's the type of back patting typical of politicians on both sides of the aisle. Because hey, if they don't do it, who will?

It's not the message, it's the medium - or rather, the combination of both, says one Republican rabble-rouser who charges that state resources are at work promoting the governor, who is up for re-election in 2010.

State Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, points out that the notes sent from a state e-mail address veer away from "keeping up with the governor" and into the type of self-promotion some might call campaigning.

And in Colorado, no state resources can be used in that way.

"Ridiculous!" says Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer.

"Cory and others have no problem utilizing state resources to criticize the governor," Dreyer said. "So what's the issue with the governor using primarily e-mail to notify the public about news stories and other items that are informative and helpful?"

Judge for yourself: A link to another questionable newsletter article is here. And the two e-mails follow in their entirity.

*****

E-mail 1 (addresses modified by Post)

From: Gov. Ritter [mailto:gov.ritter-eNews(at)state.co.us]
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:02 AM
To: (Gardner's personal e-mail address)
Subject: Gov. Ritter's Speech at the 2008 DNC

Greetings,

The Governor will be delivering brief remarks at the Democratic National Convention today at Invesco Field at Mile High between 4:30 and 5 p.m. If you can't tune in you can visit www.colorado.gov/governor after his speech to read the full text.

*****

E-mail 2 (same deal)

From: Gov. Ritter [mailto:gov.ritter-eNews(at)state.co.us]
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 4:02 PM
To: (Gardner's personal e-mail address)

Subject: Read Ryan Lizza's New Yorker article, "The Code of the West."

The Code Of The West
What Barack Obama can learn from Bill Ritter.

"Governor Ritter's Colorado offers a glimpse of what may be the Democratic future.

One day in early August, Bill Ritter, Jr., the governor of Colorado, met with Steve Feld, a professional filmmaker, to work on the video that will welcome delegates to the Democratic National Convention-and present Colorado to the rest of the country. Feld, whose television credits include "The New Lassie" and "America's Funniest People," steered the Governor toward a conference room on the seventeenth floor of a downtown building and clipped a microphone to his lapel. The backdrop for the shoot, visible through a window, was the city of Denver-bristling with construction cranes and skyscrapers for high-tech companies like Qwest Communications-and, in the distance, the Rockies."

Click here to read what else Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker had to say about Governor Ritter and the future of the Democratic Party as it relates to the West in his September 1st article.

Feel free to forward this to friends, family and colleagues, and encourage them to sign up for Gov. Ritter's eNewsletter by clicking here.

Thanks!

Say this about California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: The man knows how to make an entrance.

With a flair worthy of his A-list status, Schwarzenegger, or at least his image, came hurtling through space and into the Colorado Convention Center today for the announcement of a new program in partnership with the automotive industry to help improve fuel economy. (You can read about that program here.)

Schwarzenegger is locked in a fight with the California legislature over a state budget that is laden with a $15.2 billion shortfall and is already more than a month overdue. But in explaining why he had to appear at the news conference via satellite instead of showing up in person, Schwarzenegger, perhaps inadvertently, appeared to endorse the Colorado method of budgeting.

“In Colorado, you don’t have these problems,” Schwarzenegger ad-libbed on California’s budget quagmire. “You have a spending limit and a rainy-day fund and all those other things.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Ritter chuckled on stage. Ritter has been outspoken about the need to untangle the fiscal policy knots in Colorado – including the ones Schwarzenegger apparently just endorsed.

TABOR, or the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, limits the revenue the state can collect every year. Meanwhile, another measure, known as Arveschoug-Bird, limits how much the state can spend in its general fund. Working together, those two often receive at least some of the blame for constraining Colorado’s budget and creating headaches for legislators trying to figure the whole thing out.

A proposed ballot initiative this year would permanently undo TABOR’s revenue limits, while keeping the measure’s requirement that voters approve tax increases.

(As for a rainy-day fund, the issue exploded during the last legislative session when Republicans accused Democrats of nixing a last-minute deal to create one. Democrats say the state has put money away for lean times in other ways.)

Ritter said he and Schwarzenegger chatted about budget issues during an event earlier this year in San Diego. Asked, after Schwarzenegger’s comments, whether he needed to go back over his Colorado budget talking points with the California governor, Ritter just laughed.

Gov. Bill Ritter is an eco-conscious guy.

Who most days rides around in a state-issued Chevrolet Suburban. Chugging along at about 15 miles per gallon. Belching out 10 tons of greenhouse gasses a year. At best.

What’s a green-living governor to do?

Well, for starters he can give his State Patrol drivers one of the hefty packets handed out at the news conference Monday promoting the new EcoDriving program.

Ritter, representatives from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the National Automobile Dealers Association and special guest star California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — live via satellite! — announced the program designed to ease the gas crunch by encouraging consumers to drive in fuel-saving ways.

“The cheapest gallon of gas,” Ritter said, “is the gallon you never buy. ... EcoDriving is the perfect fit. It uses easy actions that you can take today.”

The announcement came with weighty folder jammed with information on EcoDriving techniques like driving the speed limit, keeping your tires properly inflated and using the air conditioner only when traveling at high speeds.

Schwarzenegger said if everyone in America used the techniques it would be the equivalent of taking 40 million cars off the road.

Colorado and California are the first two states to sign on to the program. Schwarzenegger said the program isn’t a substitute for more substantial energy policies. But, he said, it’s something everyone — from car makers to green groups — can agree on.

“This provides immediate relief,” he said, “right now.”

Dan Grossman, the regional director of the Environmental Defense Fund and who participated in Monday’s announcement, agreed. He said the goal of the program is to move forward on promoting ways to improve fuel economy – the campaign says EcoDriving can boost your miles per gallon by 15 percent. Grossman said the partnership with car makers and sellers is not intended to provide the latter two groups “cover” to resist more ambitious fuel efficiency policies, like raising corporate average fuel economy.

“I think this is a hopeful move to try to work together,” Grossman said.

Dave McCurdy, the president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said that’s the industry has supported raising company-wide fuel economy standards.

“We want to work with the states,” McCurdy said. “We’re a part of the problem. The industry accounts for 20 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.”

Ritter, for the record, says his State Patrol drivers are mindful of fuel economy. His Suburban most of the time runs on E-85, a biofuel and gasoline blend, Ritter said.

State Patrol spokesman Ryan Sullivan said troopers – both when looking after the freeways and when looking after the governor – pay close attention to vehicle maintenance and tire pressure. But, he said, there are limits.

“All of us are doing what we can to conserve fuel when we’re out there,” Sullivan said. “...But obviously we still have a job to do. We can’t always stop slowly.”

Tips for improving your car’s fuel economy from the EcoDriving campaign:

- Avoid rapid starts and stops.

- Try to maintain a constant speed in traffic.

- Use cruise control.

- Use air conditioning at higher speeds; open your windows at lower speeds.

- Avoid idling.

- Have scheduled maintenance done on time.

- Keep your tires properly inflated.

- Replace you air filter regularly.

- Tighten your gas cap.

- Remove unneeded items from your vehicle.

For more tips or information on EcoDriving go to www.ecodrivingusa.com.

For a list of car dealerships in Colorado offering a “green checkup,” go to www.greendrivingusa.com.

A labor-backed measure that proposes to hold executives criminally liable for corporate wrongdoings has been certified for the November ballot, Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman said today, reports Andy Vuong.

Proponents submitted more more than 124,000 signatures last month, and Coffman's office deemed 87,572 to be valid based on a random sample. The measure needed 76,047 valid signatures from registered voters to be certified for the ballot.

The measure will appear as Amendment 53.

Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com

Colorado's nine-month slog to develop new oil and gas drilling regulations enters its final deliberations Tuesday with the opposing sides getting a bit closer., reports Mark Jaffe.

The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is set to review final proposals for health, safety and drinking water protections.

The recommendations by the commission staff reflect changes offered by the industry, environmental groups and local governments.

Denver's civic and political leaders said Wednesday that they were waiting for direction from the city attorney's office on how to proceed following passage of a controversial ballot initiative that would require police to impound cars driven by unlicensed drivers, reports Christopher Osher.

The city attorney's office had counseled before Tuesday's election that Initiative 100 could pose constitutional hurdles because it might pre-empt federal immigration law. The office also had said the measure might violate the separation of powers by unduly influencing the allocation of law enforcement sources and treading on a prerogative of the executive branch.