This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

As the manager of a Utah business, it's very important to me that we do our part to help protect the health of our community. That's one of the big reasons we at Mark Miller Subaru chose to invest in rooftop solar.

As our Legislature discusses legislative solutions to our state's most pressing problems, I am pleased to see that solar is on the agenda so that more Utah families and businesses can make the choice we made to invest in clean renewable energy.

In 2015, we installed 675 solar panels which produce 216 kW at our Midtown dealership. In 2016, we installed 498 panels which produce 181 kW at our South Towne dealership. And in 2017, I'll be installing a residential system on my own home.

We knew that this investment in clean, renewable energy was right for our business. We care about contributing to improvements to air quality in Utah. As our economy and population continue to grow, we all must invest in technologies and measures to reduce emissions to ensure that our children, and their children, can breathe freely.

We also wanted to be part of the necessary push toward cleaner energy at the heart of global efforts to ward off the worst effects of climate change. Here in Utah, it's critical that we take steps to preserve our glorious snow, protect our precious water supply and maintain a healthy ecosystem to support farms and forests.

We've been impressed with the performance of our solar systems. The panels produce just as much power as promised and, thanks to state and federal tax credits, the systems were a smart investment.

I'm pleased the Legislature, in HB23, has reached a compromise to continue the state's renewable energy tax credit under a five-year phase-out through 2021. The credit, which will stay at $2,000 for 2017 and then decrease by $400 each year until it ends in 2021, is key to helping many families make an investment in solar. This demonstrates, again, that we do not have to choose between a healthy economy and the health of our communities and our environment.

I am also pleased to see that the Legislature is considering legislation to support Utahns who live in homeowners associations to invest in rooftop solar.

SB 154, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, clarifies existing law to offer HOA residents a greater opportunity to choose a rooftop solar system to meet their energy needs. The legislation still ensures that HOAs have the right to put in place certain restrictions, but should result in an easier path toward a wider adoption of solar for these residents.

I and so many other Utahns are keeping a close eye on a process currently playing out before the Public Service Commission where commissioners will decide whether to approve three proposed fees sought by the state's largest utility, Rocky Mountain Power.

These fees, if approved, could significantly damper or even halt Utah's very impressive recent growth in rooftop solar. Given the thousands of jobs that have been created by this new industry, it's critical that in a haste to protect the utility's bottom line, we don't jeopardize this critical clean energy solution in which so many Utah families are showing a strong interest.

I hope that the utility, the PSC and the many other stakeholders in this debate can identify forward-looking policy solutions to ensure that we continue to give opportunities for Utah families to make the same choice that I and Mark Miller Subaru have made. Our future health and prosperity depends upon it.

Jeff Miller is the general manager of Mark Miller Subaru.