Renewable Energy Portfolio Under Attack
Submitted by scharrison on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 6:05pm
For all of its flaws, North Carolina's REPS package does contain some critical elements that make us part of an enlightened coalition of states that have already brought about some very promising changes in the way our nation approaches the generation of energy. But there is a bill sponsored by Fletcher Hartsell that is on the General Assembly's Crossover list that could make our state's REPS package completely useless in the promotion of renewable energy, and it needs to be stopped. Note: I really want you to read this diary, so I'm going to be very brief. Enjoy it while you can. ;)
*Major edit*
It's been brought to my attention that I pointed towards the wrong parts of this legislation previously, to wit: The max 10% requirement I referenced was for coops and municipalities (as opposed to utilities), and that hadn't been modified/revised from the original version in this new bill.
The actual changes are the additions of:
An electric public utility may meet the requirements of this section by any one or more of the following:
*g) "Electricity demand reduction."
and:
An electric membership corporation or municipality may meet the requirements of this section by any one or more of the following:
*g. "Electricity demand reduction."
The "demand reduction" that is being referenced here deals with the implementation of "smart grid" technology. Which is really neat and we need to use it, but it's still an efficiency measure. If this bill is passed, actual renewable energy generation will no longer be mandated by our REPS.
Sorry about the mix-up. I already knew this, and I don't know why I forgot it this time, but whenever a bill is written to revise a previous bill, the changes are underlined. ;)
Unbelievable
So much for Republican claims that they have a corner on clean. If this doesn't qualify as dirt, what does?
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Yeah, he's just a handful
of ethics fun. And for the life of me, I can't figure out how he could have been a State Senator and the Cabarrus County Attorney at the same time. I thought you couldn't work for both county and state governments simultaneously?
I guess he knows the ropes
when it comes to pulling strings.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Also happening at National level: take:action
Undermining Clean Air and promoting renewables are being attacked at all levels. Here's another opportunity to easily take action on another of these important issues.
Congress is voting on the big energy bill next week. But the latest version of the energy bill would repeal a key part of the Clean Air Act -- arguably the most important environmental law in American history.
Big coal companies want to revoke President Obama's authority to crack down on global warming pollution from dirty power plants -- and they're on the verge of winning.
Below is a link to send a petition easily, urging Congress not to repeal this Clean Air Act provision.
http://pol.moveon.org/cleanairact/?r_by=-82513-2xPtq1x&rc=confemail
Thanks, Zate
I had not seen that yet. The EPA is (finally) getting back to setting emissions levels for coal-fired utilities, and the last thing we need to do is take that authority away from them. Grrr.
This has been on my mind a lot lately
This idea that being an elected official is a path to personal prosperity. It hurts to think of how much of this must go on. All that Easley mess. University politics. Ugh.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
I swear, sometimes it seems like
our legislators look upon the General Assembly as if it were the Chamber of Commerce: a group of business leaders working together to help each other make (more) money.
I just don't get it. I've always been conscious of any potential ethical potholes on my journey through life, and I've pissed off a few friends along the way because of my determination to avoid them. I used to think that was the way most people are, but now I'm beginning to think I'm in the minority, and that ethics is just a philosophical construct that doesn't really exist.
Ethics are not a philosophical construct.
Because if they were, we'd all be willing to bend on them.
I'm not willing to bend when it comes to honesty, integrity, transparency, etc.
Or - maybe I'm so boxed in by philosphical constructs I can't see reality.
or not.
I give a lot of credit ...
... to the lobbyists!
Yo! Stevie had to make corrections
in the diary above. Sorry.
:)