Leaders push for cleaner energy

The DWP now gets half of the city's electricity from coal-fired power plants in Utah, Nevada and Arizona, which are among the region's biggest sources of global warming and smog-forming pollutants.

And some 20 additional coal plants are in development throughout the West - states outside California's strict air quality rules but with an eye toward the energy-hungry state.

A report released by environmental groups pushed for energy conservation and stronger air quality controls on new plants.

In response, Los Angeles officials said they are committed to cleaner energy and have no plans to buy more coal power.

"We're going to be looking at reducing our dependence on coal in the future," said Mary Nichols, who heads the DWP Board of Commissioners. "We don't have any coal of our own and we shouldn't be polluting other parts of the West."

The DWP is trying to buy 20 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal energy.

Councilman Tony Cardenas, who chairs the council committee that oversees the utility, said the DWP's new contracts will be with clean, renewable energy.

California utilities have become increasingly reliant on out-of- state coal power plants. In the past 10 years, the portion of the state's energy from coal rose from 16.5 percent to 21.3 percent.

However, the California Energy Commission recently said that all new out-of-state power plants serving California should meet the state's strict air quality standards.

That could slow the expansion of new coal plants in neighboring states.

"California decision-makers are beginning to realize they need to encompass the out-of-state, very intensive sources of global warming pollution that they are relying on for in-state energy," said Vickie Patton, a senior attorney with Environmental Defense.

That wouldn't affect Los Angeles, Burbank and Glendale, which have public utilities, but it would apply to customers in surrounding areas who are served by Southern California Edison.