U.S. States Turn Against Renewable Energy as Gas Plunges

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/u-s-states-turn-against-renewable-energy-as-gas-plunges.html

[font face=Serif][font size=5]U.S. States Turn Against Renewable Energy as Gas Plunges[/font]

By Christopher Martin - 2013-04-23T13:59:57Z

[font size=3]More than half the U.S. states with laws requiring utilities to buy renewable energy are considering ways to pare back those mandates after a plunge in natural gas prices brought on by technology that boosted supply.

Sixteen of the 29 states with renewable portfolio standards are considering legislation that would reduce the need for wind and solar power, according to researchers backed by the U.S. Energy Department. North Carolina lawmakers may be among the first to move, followed by Colorado and Connecticut.

The efforts could benefit U.S. utilities such as Duke Energy Corp (DUK). and PG&E Corp (PCG). as well as Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM)., the biggest U.S. oil producer, and Peabody Energy Corp (BTU)., the largest U.S. coal mining company. Those companies contributed to at least one of the lobby groups pushing the change, according to the Center for Media and Democracy, a Madison, Wisconsin-based non-profit group. It would hurt wind turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) and First Solar Inc (FSLR)., which develops solar farms.

“We’re opposed to these mandates, and 2013 will be the most active year ever in terms of efforts to repeal them,” said Todd Wynn, task force director for energy of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or Alec, a lobby group pushing for the change. “Natural gas is a clean fuel, and regulators and policy makers are seeing how it’s much more affordable than renewable energy.”

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[Smilo]

1. They are so typical of the "want it now" generation

and fail to see long term - which is what is needed.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Sometimes it is all you can afford

An that is a real problem as long as fossil fuels are dropping in price.

[Buzz Clik]

2. It's understandable.

For years, environmentalists have been telling us that of all the fossil fuels, natural gas is by far the most preferred. Right now, to those companies, natural gas is a win-win -- cheap and clean.

[kristopher]

4. Brought to you by the American Legislative Exchange Council and Koch Industries

It has nothing to do with the price of gas. And everything to do with maintaining corporate control of energy

American Legislative Exchange Council


The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) describes itself as the largest “membership association of state legislators,” but over 98% of its revenue comes from sources other than legislative dues, primarily from corporations and corporate foundations.[1] After the 2010 congressional midterm elections, ALEC boasted that “among those who won their elections, three of the four former state legislators newly-elected to the U.S. Senate are ALEC Alumni and 27 of the 42 former state legislators newly-elected to the U.S. House are ALEC Alumni.” (A full list of the Congressional freshmen who are ALEC alums can be found here.) [2]

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our PRWatch.org site.

ALEC’s agenda extends into almost all areas of law. Its bills undermine environmental regulations and deny climate change; support school privatization; undercut health care reform; defund unions and limit their political influence; restrain legislatures’ abilities to raise revenue through taxes; mandate strict election laws that disenfranchise voters; increase incarceration to benefit the private prison industry, among many other issues. [3]

More at: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council

A couple of previous threads:
Duke Energy Flip-Flop: ALEC Leads Attack on North Carolina Clean Energy with Duke Funding
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10691726

ALEC forced to make public "hundreds" of model bills.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022514585

Duke Energy and the Koch Bros (and ALEC) Kill Clean Energy in NC
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10691960