Thursday, June 12, 2008

Just Pass a Renewable Portfolio Standard. Please.

For the love of God, please. If there is one thing this Legislature can do to create jobs and investment in this state, it is passing a renewable portfolio standard.

Back on January 23rd, I wrote a diary entitled, "Senate Republicans to block renewable portfolio standard?" - if you need evidence of the validity of the statement above, read that, look at the quotes, and follow the links.

I don't know how much overwhelming evidence is necessary. I don't want to run around yelling "obstructionists!" all the time. I'm tired of it. I really am. But we are going on five months later now, other states are moving forward with either setting their initial renewable standards or beefing up existing ones, taking that investment money that would be coming into our economy, creating jobs that would go to Michigan workers.

And what is going on in our Senate? Little. Excuses, stall tactics, indications that they aren't going to be moving anytime soon, but maybe they are, nobody knows. Today could be the day, but they also said that last week... from MIRS, June 3rd, Wayne Kuipers indicates he sees no need for further action.

However, it's not clear that the Senate panel will move either bill at all. Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) said the Senate had passed its own legislation and "didn't see a need for any additional RPS bills."

The Senate passed SB 1000, which set RPS standards for state government only, and which Republicans said was a much more business-friendly bill than a government mandate.


The people who don't believe in government mandates slapped a mandate on the government and called it done. Makes your head hurt to think about the irony there. The interesting thing is the support amongst other Republicans is seemingly being ignored by certain leaders at the top of the Republican food chain; the energy bills passed with strong bipartisan support in the House, Sen. Cameron Brown moves to break the tie-bar on the RPS from the rest of the energy package, and Sen.Patty Birkholz moved to strengthen the steps we need to take to get to 10% by 2015, which I believe would put us more in line with what the American Wind Energy Association was asking for when they complained that the House renewable standards were too vague.

Sen. Mike PRUSI proposed an amendment, saying the RPS standards were "tepid," getting the state to 10 percent renewable energy by 2015. He proposed for the state to get to 10 percent of the ultimate 10 percent goal by 2010, 20 percent by 2011, 30 percent by 2012, 50 percent by 2013, 80 percent by 2014 and the full goal by 2015.

The other two Democratic members, Sens. Dennis OLSHOVE (D-Warren) and Buzz THOMAS (D-Detroit) were absent, so Prusi was hesitant to go for a vote on his amendment.

"I can see which way the wind is blowing, and it's not through a turbine," Prusi cracked.

Chair Bruce PATTERSON (R-Canton) then reminded him of his earlier complaint when Patterson and others were cracking wise: "Why does everyone on this committee think they're a comedian?"

Prusi withdrew his amendment after Sen. Patty BIRKHOLZ (R-Saugatuck) introduced an amendment, which passed. It mandates no less than 5 percent RPS by 2010, 7 percent by 2012, 9 percent by 2014 and 10 percent by 2015. Prusi added that if the Birkholz amendment was stripped, "mine will reappear in all its splendor and glory" on the floor.


There is support for this on both sides of the aisle - but the usual suspects are showing the usual lack of leadership on this package. Not only do we have Kuipers above - Mike Bishop indicated that the Senate should take its sweet time on the package - Gongwer, June 10th.

While little legislation overhauling Michigan's utility and energy regulatory system has moved so far from the Senate Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee, its chair, Sen. Bruce Patterson (R-Canton), said committee members are working towards resolution of the issues.

But that does not necessarily mean there will be a "straight line to an outcome," Mr. Patterson said, a point he said he had also made to House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.).

He also said he has been told by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) that while it was hoped (back in February) all the issues surrounding the complex issue of energy regulation would be reported to the full Senate by the end of June that if his committee needed more time to resolve the topic, then he should take more time.


Why not. Jobs and investment aren't important to Bishop, even though he said that was his goal at the beginning of the year. And to top it off, the last time Speaker Dillon was at BFM, he indicated just how much time and testimony has already gone into the whole issue-

One last thing. Democrats and Republicans on the Energy and Technology Committee spent over two years on this issue working with Phds in nuclear physics, engineers, business owners and their purchasing managers, utilities, the public service commission, the business chambers, manufacturers, alternative energy suppliers and Abate (who were against this but we invited them in the room to negotiate the legislation), environmentalists, ex-utility employees and industry analysts from Wallstreet. We went over the legislation numerous times with most of them in the room fighting and debating it line by line (no exaggeration). Thousands of hours were invested. In the room were Republicans and Democrats and the experts. When we had an issue we didn't trust the utilities on, we asked the business experts to provide the language.


Guess the question now is: Where was the Senate all that time? What were they doing that they aren't up to speed on this now? Are they that derelict in their responsibilities to our state?

Anyone that was paying attention last year knows the answer to that question. Anyone who saw how they screwed up the MBT because of their desire to score political points knows the answer to that question. It's beginning to look like we are watching the same strategy put in play again, this time a boatload of jobs and money and the environment are on the line.

Today might be the day that tells the tale of whether they will get this done or not. Please, prove my doubts and fears wrong.

Please.