Tuesday, May 21 2013 2:58PM

New legislation may raise energy rates for rural Colorado residents.

Colorado lawmakers are voicing their opposition to a proposal that would directly impact rural residents' energy bills and result in economic hardship to the small communities that would be affected, according to High Country News.

The bill, which has already been sent to Gov. John Hickenlooper, would require rural electrical cooperatives that provide services to roughly 70 percent of the state's landmass and 25 percent of residents to double their renewable energy services by 2020. However, doing so would require the co-ops to raise the price of services they charge to rural residents in order to pay for the upgrades.

Lawmakers argue that the raised rates would not only impact rural residents directly, but also hinder economic community development in many small regions. 

"Shame on you for raising rates on rural families when this does not affect you or your constituents," state Rep. Brian DelGrosso told Denver-area lawmakers who support the bill, according to the newspaper.

The bill was sent to Gov. Hickenlooper in early May, and although he has given his support for the legislation, he has yet to sign it into law.

The Colorado Statesman reports that if the bill is signed into law, co-ops would be permitted to charge roughly 2 percent of a customer's bill to be put toward the upgrades. 

For more information, check out this resource: High Country News