Renewable energy initiative, backed by billionaire, may be headed for November ballot in Nevada
Supporters say initiative will bring more renewable energy projects to Silver State
James DeHaven
Supporters of an effort to increase Nevada’s reliance on renewable energy say they have enough signatures to put the matter before voters in November.
The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to more than double the amount of solar, wind and other types of renewable energy currently provided by the state’s electric companies. It’s funded by Tom Steyer, the California billionaire and Democratic megadonor who’s recently launched several progressive political campaigns in the Silver State.
Nevadans for a Clean Energy Future, the Steyer-backed group that sponsored the effort, said Monday that they expect to hand in roughly 230,000 signatures supporting the initiative by Tuesday night — roughly twice the tally needed to qualify for November’s ballot.
Spokesman Kyle Roerink said steps proposed under the measure are the “only guarantee” that more renewable projects come to fruition in Nevada.
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Only about 20 percent of electricity now generated in Nevada comes from renewables.
“For one of the sunniest states in the nation, that is not good enough,” Roerink wrote in a Monday release. “Currently, Nevada spends $700 million annually to import fossil fuels from out of state to power the grid.”
The proposed ballot measure would require state electric producers to buy or generate 50 percent of their power from renewable energy by 2030. A legislative effort aimed at bumping that total to 40 percent was vetoed last year by Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Nevadans would have to approve the initiative in November, then again in 2020, before it becomes law.