by jboullion | Mar 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Clean Wisconsin:
Madison, Wis – Despite big oil and coal spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to confuse and turn the public against the Clean Energy Jobs Act, Wisconsin residents and businesses demonstrated overwhelming support for the bill in recent legislative hearings, with supporters outnumbering opponents by more than a 2 to 1 ratio, according to data recently obtained from the Wisconsin State Legislature.
“Attendance at the hearings shows that Wisconsinites support the Clean Energy Jobs Act, despite the attempts of big oil and coal lobbyists to sour public perception with misinformation and deceptive advertising,” said Keith Reopelle, Senior Policy Director at Clean Wisconsin. “Energy independence may be bad for the big oil and coal companies, but it’s good for the hard-working people of Wisconsin.
Supporters of this bill realize that greater energy independence means higher profits for Wisconsin businesses, more jobs, and a cleaner, healthier environment.”
In an attempt to weaken the Clean Energy Jobs Act, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) and big oil and coal companies have flooded the capital with lobbyists and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertisements and studies that use biased, outdated and discredited information to attack the bill.
Despite this misinformation campaign, individuals supported the bill 2 to 1 at recent legislative hearings, with actual businesses supporting the bill by a 3 to 1 margin.
by jboullion | Mar 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by Clean Wisconsin:
Madison, Wis – Despite big oil and coal spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to confuse and turn the public against the Clean Energy Jobs Act, Wisconsin residents and businesses demonstrated overwhelming support for the bill in recent legislative hearings, with supporters outnumbering opponents by more than a 2 to 1 ratio, according to data recently obtained from the Wisconsin State Legislature.
“Attendance at the hearings shows that Wisconsinites support the Clean Energy Jobs Act, despite the attempts of big oil and coal lobbyists to sour public perception with misinformation and deceptive advertising,” said Keith Reopelle, Senior Policy Director at Clean Wisconsin. “Energy independence may be bad for the big oil and coal companies, but it’s good for the hard-working people of Wisconsin.
Supporters of this bill realize that greater energy independence means higher profits for Wisconsin businesses, more jobs, and a cleaner, healthier environment.”
In an attempt to weaken the Clean Energy Jobs Act, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) and big oil and coal companies have flooded the capital with lobbyists and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on advertisements and studies that use biased, outdated and discredited information to attack the bill.
Despite this misinformation campaign, individuals supported the bill 2 to 1 at recent legislative hearings, with actual businesses supporting the bill by a 3 to 1 margin.
by jboullion | Mar 2, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The tone and tenor of the debate over the Clean Energy Jobs Act was determined the moment the legislation was named.
Supporters built into the name what they, not unreasonably, believed would be one of the bill’s principal virtues: job creation. But, with recession-induced trauma still fresh in everyone’s minds, it is simply too easy and expedient – facts be damned – to call virtually any new legislation a jobs killer, from health care reform to even a jobs bill.
We believe the jobs will be there, but it is important at this juncture to recognize that this bill is not really intended as an economic stimulus measure. In very real terms, it is an attempt at economic and environmental reinvention – done with the specter of climate change and all its effects looming.
Yes, climate change, with humanity as a major contributor, is real. But even if you don’t believe that, there is little to no downside to a future in which a good portion of our energy comes from renewable sources – 25% by 2025 – and no downside to a future in which energy efficiencies mean we are doing the same or more with less energy.
The reinvention comes in two other goals: growing new technologies and fostering energy independence. Doing this will have far more enduring effects on those bottom lines in the future than any short-term benefit derived from doing nothing now to cushion today’s corporate bottom lines.
On jobs, there are two dueling studies cited most often on whether the Clean Energy Jobs Act will actually create jobs.
One is by researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Southern California for the Center on Climate Strategies, the results of which are similar to findings by various state agencies. It forecasts a net increase of more than 16,200 new jobs in Wisconsin by 2025. It predicts a boost to the state’s economy of $4.85 billion total “in net present value” from 2011 to 2025.
The other study was done by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. It contends that policies similar to those in the bill would kill 43,000 Wisconsin jobs. The problem: It did not model the actual policies in the bill.
The Michigan study is more believable.
by jboullion | Mar 1, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a guest column by State Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink in the Stevens Point Journal:
As the Wisconsin state Legislature continues to move forward with its legislative session, and the happenings in the State Capitol are fast and furious this time of year, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss an issue that will affect all of us in central Wisconsin.
The Legislature has made a commitment to Wisconsin’s small businesses and to agricultural producers with the Clean Energy Jobs Act. The Clean Energy Jobs Act, state Senate Bill 450 and state Assembly Bill 649, contain various recommendations of the governor’s Global Warming Task Force to address climate change and grow the state’s green economy through several key measures. These include: Renewable Energy Buyback Rates (aka Advanced Renewable Tariffs), increasing Wisconsin’s renewable portfolio standards, which is 25 percent by 2025, establishing and administering an Energy Crop Reserve Program and requiring the Department of Natural Resources to promulgate a rule requiring the reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in this state, also known as implementing a Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
Currently, Wisconsin sends $16 billion out of state each year for our energy needs. If we can start using some of the natural resources we already produce in agriculture and the forestry sectors, we can keep that money here in Wisconsin. We know that other states are doing it, and we know that other nations are doing it. We here in Wisconsin have the ability to be a leader in that economy. However, we all know that the devil is in the details, and this legislation is no different than any other legislative proposal that comes before the Legislature. Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have questions that need to be addressed regarding this legislation, and in the near future there will be meaningful debate. Regardless of the final outcome, we as a state, and we as an agricultural community need to be involved in the decision-making process.
by jboullion | Feb 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Megan Loiselle in the Wausau Daily Herald:
ROTHSCHILD — A power plant that has its sights set on this village of 5,390 people has some residents singing its praises and others crying, “Not in my backyard.”
WE Energies plans to build a $250 million power plant that burns low-quality and unusable wood and paper waste, powering the Domtar paper mill and providing electricity to homes in portions of Wisconsin. The plant still needs state approval before construction can begin, but WE Energies is hopeful it will be up and running by fall 2013.
About 300 people streamed in and out of a conference room during a WE Energies-sponsored open house Saturday at the Holiday Inn & Suites seeking answers about how the plant would affect their quality of life — and how many new jobs it would bring to the area.
According to WE Energies, the biomass plant would not only create new jobs, it would bring in shared revenue from the state depending on how much energy is created. The project would create 400 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs. It also will help Wisconsin reach its goal of having 10 percent of all energy produced using renewable resources by 2015 — a goal established in Gov. Jim Doyle’s Clean Energy Wisconsin Plan.
The plant would cut dependence on fossil fuels, reduce acid rain and be nearly carbon-neutral, according to the environmental advocacy group Clean Wisconsin and the U.S. Forest Service.
John Klosinski, 55, of Rothschild said he supports the biomass plant because it will create jobs for people who have been hit hard by the economy.
“I think it’s great,” Klosinski said. “I’ve been working half time for over a year … I’m not concerned about the emissions or the noise.”
About 10 residents stood outside the conference room and passed out information with a list of their concerns about the smell, sound and emissions the biomass plant would bring with it.
