former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter in June 2011 (THE DENVER POST file | Kathryn Scott Osler)
WASHINGTON???Former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is on the short list to be the next Energy Secretary.
Ritter, a one-term governor who is now leading Colorado State University's Center for the New Energy Economy, is among a small group of unofficial finalists to take over the Department, according to media reports.
Current Secretary Steven Chu has not made any formal announcement, but it has been broadly reported that he is expected to depart the Administration in the next term.
Ritter told The Denver Post Tuesday he was "flattered" to be among such distinguished names.
"It's a crucial time for the country to focus on energy policy among the other priorities," he said. "Energy has to be a priority going forward."
Ritter's push for a "new energy economy" became a top talking point in his four years as governor.
In his current job, he often talks about his balanced approach to boosting domestic energy production, and jobs in Colorado, while being sensitive to Colorado's environment and producing oil and gas in a responsible way.
Ritter has said he is often asked to speak by energy companies who respected his work as governor.
The Western Energy Alliance, an industry trade group, refused to comment on Ritter's consideration.
As governor, Ritter also backed controversial legislation that could lead Xcel Energy to convert three of its coal-fired electric plants to use natural gas. The move won praise from environmentalists and the natural-gas industry ? but scorn from coal backers.
Ritter also successfully boosted the state's renewable energy standard from 20 percent to 30 percent in 2020.
Stuart Sanderson, president of the Colorado Mining Association, did not have immediate comment on the consideration.
Leading the short list of Energy finalists is Tom Steyer, a Democratic donor who helped bankroll an effort to defeat a proposal in California that would have rolled back some of the state's renewable energy efforts. The Washington Post first reported the list of names, including Ritter, this morning.
Also on the list, along with Ritter, is former North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan, Susan Tierney, an assistant energy secretary under the Clinton Administration and Steve Westley, a California businessman, according to The Washington Post.
Upon hearing the news Tuesday, Sen. Mark Udall, a Democrat, called Ritter "a strong advocate for Colorado's all-of-the-above energy policy, that embraces renewables alongside more traditional energy sources, like natural gas. If Secretary Steven Chu were to step down we would lose a strong leader when it comes to pursuing energy security. That said, we need more Colorado commonsense in Washington and I would be proud to support Gov. Ritter playing a greater role in our country's energy policy."
Eric Brown, a spokesman for Gov. John Hickenlooper, said Tuesday he didn't want to speculate "about different Coloradans under consideration for White House appointments."
"But it's not surprising that may be happening given Colorado's role in the West and as a leader in economic development, education, energy and health care," he said.
Allison Sherry: 202-662-8907, asherry@denverpost.com or twitter.com/allisonsherry
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