Oklahoma is already a leader in conventional energy production, but some state lawmakers, including House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, have proposed bills to make Oklahoma more viable in alternative energy sources, too.

Benge said he has proposed several bills to create incentives for using alternative energy sources. He said it’s important that Oklahoma and the U.S. reduce their reliance on foreign oil, he said.

Benge said the bills he proposed take an “all of the above” approach in finding alternatives to foreign oil. His proposed bills advocate the use of wind energy, geothermal energy, compressed natural gas, nuclear power and electric vehicles.

Two bills proposed by Benge were passed by the House Energy Committee Tuesday and are now on their way to the House floor.

House Bill 1952 would increase the number of state vehicles that run on alternative energy sources, like compressed natural gas, and increase the number of natural gas fueling stations in Oklahoma.

The second, HB 1953, would allow companies that provide services for wind energy companies to be part of the Quality Jobs Act, a state program that gives tax rebates to qualifying companies.

He also proposed two bills to give tax credits to Oklahomans who use alternative energy sources to heat and cool their homes or fuel their vehicles.

Another bill, HB 1948, would give tax credits to Oklahomans who install geothermal heating and cooling systems at their homes. The rebate would be 5 percent of the cost of the system, including purchase of equipment and installation.

HB 1949 would give tax credits to Oklahomans who buy hybrid vehicles, vehicles that run on compressed natural gas or the equipment necessary to allow vehicles to run on alternative fuels.

The bipartisan nature of the alternative energy issues has led to little opposition, Benge said, but some legislators oppose the use of nuclear power, which he favors.

State Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman, proposed a bill what would clear some obstacles for a nuclear power plant to be built in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is one of 16 states without a nuclear power plant, Martin said.

He said building a plant could take 10 years and billions of dollars, but some of the time would be eliminated and the cost lowered if his bill is passed.

Martin said his proposal would eliminate some of the “regulatory hoops,” which makes the building process longer and includes a cost recovery mechanism to help reduce the price.

The bill would not guarantee a plant would be built but could open discussion, he said.

Martin said he brought his desire to propose a pro-nuclear power bill to the attention of Benge, who also had expressed an interest in nuclear power. The two then toured a nuclear power plant in Arkansas which gets 75 percent of its power from nuclear energy, Martin said.

“We need to look at the entire portfolio and not eliminate any option,” he said. Benge said if the nuclear power proposal does not get passed, it’s still good that a public debate of the issue is taking place.

The idea of a nuclear energy plant in Oklahoma still makes some people uncomfortable, though.

Chris Applegate, geography senior, has been a member of OUr Earth, an OU environmental club, for three years and said he is opposed to nuclear power because of its aftereffects.

“It is a viable (energy) source, but the problem comes from nuclear waste,” he said.

Martin said if a plant were to be built, nuclear waste would most likely be stored on-site because there is no national waste disposal plan.

Applegate said he thinks Martin’s proposal will be passed, but doesn’t think a plant will be built.

“There are so many issues [with nuclear energy],” he said, “Like, who wants it in their backyard?”

Martin said there are nuclear power plants 400 miles to the north, south and east of Oklahoma City.

Applegate said although he doesn’t support Martin’s nuclear energy bill, he is in favor of some of Benge’s proposals that include wind and solar power because he said they would keep Oklahoma moving forward.