RI energy policy questioned in three national articles

Two recent articles from nationally recognized sources – the Washington Examiner and Town Hall – referenced the Deepwater project and Rhode Island’s energy landscape and strongly hinted that we are harming our citizens and businesses via our costly state energy policies and bypassing the traditional approval process.

In the article, four important points were made that RI citizens and public officials should consider:

1. State energy policies that dictate that RI take a part in the floundering Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and mandating the we comply with a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring cuts in carbon emissions and increases in renewable energy … both serve to raise energy costs to consumers.
2. Robbing Peter to pay Peter: citing the Toray Plastics example, the folly and unfairness is pointed out of the government causing energy rates to rise (taking from Toray), then implementing a special deal to subsidize a solar farm at Toray’s plant (paying to Toray) to keep them in RI; our government forced to get in the business of picking winners and losers because of its own failed policies in the first-place.
3. Eating from the public trough: the disturbing image of vendors “securing a place in the supply chain of Northeastern Offshore Wind projects”. That’s right, there was actually a kind of ‘trade-show’ where businesses were openly invited to line-up to grab some of our money, whether taxpayer or ratepayer, that subsidized some of these wind projects.
4. The original premises of renewable energy as a near-term panacea are under increasing question. A) The entire man-made climate change debate has lost much of its credibility; B) An immediate jobs boon was never realized for the renewable energy industry; C) Consumer demand for renewable energy is much lower than projected, because renewable energy costs are currently higher – not lower – than fossil fuels; D) There is no immediate shortage of fossil fuels.

In the Ocean State, our public policies, have raised the cost for energy for households and businesses … and we based those policies on what many now consider as false premises.

Reality is not negotiable: during these difficult economic times, should we be dealing with reality … or should we continue taking risks on politically-correct theory?

To read the first Town Hall article by Marita Noon, click here …

To read the Washington Examiner article by Ron Arnold, click here …

To read the most recent Deepwater related article by Martia Noon, click one of the links below:

http://www.globalwarming.org/2011/10/25/why-resort-to-shenanigans-to-make-green-energy-a-reality/

http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/maritanoon/2011/10/23/going_green_with_shady_deals

In the coming months, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity will recommend changes to our state energy policies, as part of larger, more comprehensive set of economic and educational reform items.