A bill was heard in two committees this week that would create an Energy Transition Legacy Office in response to power plants decommissioning some sources of energy and transitioning to others. These transitions can be painful for some communities as they may experience significant loss of employment and negative impacts to their property tax base.
The bill creates an Office within the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to help coordinate information and be a driver for economic opportunities when plants are retired. Additionally, it will help implement the ideas of the Energy Transition Legacy Advisory Committee, which is made up of impacted stakeholders who will develop and plan to help affected communities understand the impact of a closure and provide possible resources that are available to assist businesses, cities, and workers. (SF 1566)
