From the TOMMYWONK BLOG, Sunday, January 06, 2008
http://tommywonk.blogspot.com/2008/01/please-somebody-else-somewhere-else-do.html
The opponents of offshore wind power in Delaware are scrambling to make it look like they're actually in favor of renewable energy. The News Journal reports that they've hit on a diversionary tactic to make it look like they might actually consider doing something:
On Friday, [Sen. Harris] McDowell announced that three senators had asked him to schedule hearings to look at all of the state's options for "affordable, environmentally friendly energy," including on-shore wind. Those senators were [Thurman] Adams, Majority Leader Anthony DeLuca, D-Newark East, and Majority Whip Patricia Blevins, D-Elsmere.
So what do you do if you're a legislator who fervently opposes the Bluewater Wind agreement, but still wants to look like a proponent of renewable energy? You hold hearings about somebody else, somewhere else, doing something else, some other time.
To be fair, most members of the General Assembly, including Senators DeLuca and Blevins, probably haven't had a chance to make up their minds. Rep. Dick Cathcart sounds like he hasn't:
House Majority Leader Richard C. Cathcart, R-Middletown, said the majority of the discussion at the leadership meeting was what the wind farm would cost, and that remains uppermost in legislators' minds today. The PSC staff report came out too soon before the vote, he said.
Cathcart said legislators are more cautious given their experience with deregulation and the big rate increase that followed. They don't want to get bitten twice, he said.
"A lot of us are gun-shy," Cathcart said. "I'm a big believer in wind as an alternative source of energy. It's something we should pursue aggressively. I think it's something that we should be proud of being the first state to do it. I think that we need to make sure that we've explored every option we have in order to reduce the ultimate cost to the consumer while we're getting there."
Here's a thought: Instead of holding hearings about doing anything but what the Public Service Commission (PSC) staff report recommended, how about holding a hearing reviewing the findings of the PSC staff, and then acting on those findings?
POSTED BY TOMMYWONK AT 5:00 PM
NEWS JOURNAL EDITORIAL
Respect public and decide fate of wind project out in open
Posted Wednesday,
Despite months of public hearings, numerous professional assessments, voluminous document filings and countless hours of public debate, Bluewater Wind's bid to build windmills off the Atlantic coast is close to death.
Backroom maneuvering is the likely culprit.
This is odd because the law that launched this search for a reliable, home-grown energy source was spawned by the state Legislature. Now it appears the people's representatives managed to get four state agencies to postpone an ultimate decision.
Last week the staff of the Public Service Commission recommended approving the current Bluewater Wind proposal. The recommendation was not without caveats. The idea of building wind turbines in the
On the other hand, the PSC staff noted that a wind farm would have been a source of carbon-free electricity and would help protect
Delmarva Power opposed a deal from the beginning. It argued that it is already required to get 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2019. Delmarva spokesmen said current on-land sources of wind power and other renewable supplies will meet that demand.
Proponents countered that the demand for on-land wind power will grow as other states mandate renewables. Therefore, prices will go up along with demand.
Proponents and opponents have good arguments. But the process has been long and thoroughly vetted. Why does it have to stop now?
Four state agencies, including the PSC, were authorized to vote on the energy proposal. Most of them were ready to do so. However, we presume there is backroom pressure on one or more of the agencies.
We suspect it comes from the General Assembly.
If this is true, it is the wrong way of doing it. The backhandedness of the action sends a big signal to other businesses considering settling in
If legislators oppose the process, they should come out and say so -- on the record.
If they have questions about the proposal, they should air them -- on the record.
If they want to kill the law they created, they should vote to kill it -- on the record.
The voters should know where they stand.
Some would call this old-boy backroom stuff effective. We call it cowardly.
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