State Rep. Tom Plant was appointed by Gov.-elect Bill Ritter as director of the Office of Energy Management and Conservation which provides educational, technical and financial assistance on energy conservation issues. The department takes the lead on leveraging private and public partnerships, analyzes emerging technologies and supports new programs. Plant has represented House District 13 since 1998 and was term-limited in 2006. He served on the bi-partisan Joint Budget Committee from 2002-06, and was chairman in ’06. He also served on the Appropriations, Agriculture and Local Government committees. Among the key pieces of legislation Plant sponsored: Prescription Drug Fairness Act; the Colorado Renewable Energy Act, which later formed the basis for Amendment 37; and energy efficiency tax-incentive legislation.
From the Ritter Transition press release:
Ritter said Plant will be one of the key architects of the New Energy Economy. “Tom Plant was a superb, thoughtful and innovative legislator,” Ritter said. “I’m excited that he will help us craft a bold new energy vision for Colorado and then lead the way towards making it a reality.”
“A keystone of the governor-elect’s Colorado Promise centers on making Colorado a model for the nation by attracting investment and jobs through a New Energy Economy,” Plant said. “I’m honored to have been chosen to help the governor achieve his vision of an energy strategy for Colorado that will dramatically improve energy efficiency, make Colorado a leader in renewable energy, and benefit our economy and environment for future generations.”
Plant worked as an exploration geologist in the late 1980’s before he joined the Climate Change department of the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington DC. At UCS, he explored the causes of global climate change and examined transportation and energy solutions to reduce the emissions contributing to climate change.
Named Legislator of the Year by organizations such as the University of Colorado and the Sierra Club of Colorado, Plant also received the Colorado Conservation Voters’ “Green Sense Award for Environmental Leadership.”
Since 2004, he has been executive director of the Center for ReSource Conservation. The non-profit implements a variety of programs focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, green building and construction waste reduction.
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