Gov. Joe Manchin should listen to Gov. Bill Ritter

by: Clem Guttata

Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 10:02:42 AM EST

During his recent re-election bid, W.Va. Gov. Joe Manchin touted plans for a comprehensive energy bill in the 2009 legislative session. He promised to make alternative energy a key facet of his next state of the state address.

He could do worse than checking in with fellow Democratic governor Bill Ritter of Colorado for innovative ideas.

Gov. Ritter has a long history of promoting alternative energy with his latest solar-energy idea for new homes receiving praise:

For a governor who vows to make renewable energy the state's "calling card," it wouldn't be a legislative session without a initiative from Gov. Bill Ritter on that issue.

That moment came last week during his State of the State speech, in which Ritter threw his support behind a proposal requiring homebuilders to offer buyers the option of putting solar panels on their home or having the home pre-wired for the panels.

Now, you're probably thinking this idea is so "out there" for a state like West Virginia it would never work... that's all the more reason why Joe Manchin should get on the phone with Bill Ritter--to learn what steps A, B and C are to get alternative energy kick-started for the citizens of West Virginia.

Flickr image credit: ostaff1. Solar powered house in Morgantown, West Virginia.