Small hydro plants part of state initiative

Martha asked why hydroelectricity is no longer considered a "renewable" energy source. She said it was excluded in House Bill 1281, which was passed in the last session of the state legislature.

It wasn't excluded. House Bill 1281, which requires utilities to get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020, sets caps on the size of hydroelectric plants in the state. Facilities under those caps are included in the effort to reach 20 percent; larger facilities won't count, though they certainly can be built.

The caps were set to encourage development of other forms of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, because there already are enormous hydroelectric resources in the country, said Matt Baker, executive director of Environment Colorado, which helped write the bill.

OK, try this one:

Why do cows give white milk and not another color? - Briahna, age 4

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