LINCOLN- The Legislature's Executive Board advanced a bill calling for a study of the short- and long-term costs of replacing Nebraska's coal and natural gas plants with resources like wind and solar. The bill, LB566, passed on a 5-2 vote out of the Natural Resources Committee. The bill would appropriate $30,000 to hire a consultant to examine the trends and potential economic impacts of increased reliance of renewable energy in Nebraska, and would look at the economic benefits of maintaining coal, natural gas and nuclear.

The Natural Resources Committee said the bill seeks to understand how renewable energy "threatens the ability of power suppliers in the state to maintain existing baseload generation." The bill advanced to the floor as is with no amendments despite opposition in its hearing. The bill's sponsor, Senator Bostelman, did note that he is open to amendments.

Voting in favor of the bill were Sen. Tom Briese of Albion; Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston; Sen. John Lowe of Kearney; Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar; and Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln. Opposed to advancing LB566 to the floor were Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.

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