Letter to the Editor
Oil obscures vision
Published Tuesday, April 8, 2008
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Stumble It!April 4, 2008
To the editor:
We have in front of us yet another opportunity to step ahead of the 8-ball and get proactive regarding energy, despite Alaska’s mixed blessing of having massive amounts of fossil fuels. Given that the world will need fossil fuels for the indefinite future; given that approximately 85 percent of Alaska’s revenue comes from oil production; given that energy costs are rapidly escalating; and given that global warming is something that now even Don Young admits exists, there’s no great threat to the oil industry if we start diversifying our energy sources statewide.
It’s been shown in numerous reports and studies that new job and business opportunities can and will be developed; that existing business can improve with innovation and creativity encouraged by the creation of renewable energy sources. Despite what they’d have us believe, oil companies are not threatened with poor profits or competition or on the brink of financial collapse. It only makes sense that Alaska joins the rest of the world and looks beyond its nose — literally beyond oil — regarding sources and supplies of energy production. Unfortunately, Alaska is far behind many places in this regard.
House Bill 152, which promotes development of Alaska’s alternative energy resources, was heard in Senate Finance and there it sits, waiting for Senate Finance Chair Steadman to move it along. Please encourage Sens. Wilken and Steadman to move the bill. If you’d like more specifics, check out www.legis.state.ak.us and search “HB152.” There you’ll find text from the last hearing (March 27) at the bottom of the page.
People have been advocating the essence of HB 152 for 20 years, and obviously it’s never received political traction. Now, 20 years later, the United States is even more strapped with high energy costs and unstable markets, and we’ve basically done nothing. The time for HB 152 is actually not now, it was 20 years ago. Let’s not continue to deny or delay the inevitable. We’ve wasted too much precious time already.
Community Discussion
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Sen. Stedman isn't going to listen to us. We aren't constituents of his, so he has no reason to.
Hell, he doesn't even listen to his own constituents, he listens and answers to Lyda.
An appointee of Frank and he is so gone at election time.........
robbmyers: A Senator or House member may not be our Legislator, but his or her position of influence or chairmanship is by mutual consent of the majority caucus of the Alaskan Senate or House. Should it be found that the actions of a member of Legislator is contrary to the will of the majority, the committee assignment and chairmanship of any committee can be reassigned.
John: Thank you for your letter to the editor. YES, it is time that Alaska take command of our energy needs be they renewable or non-renewable sources. Private sector open market competition is most often the most cost effective means to deliver services. But when price gouging and failure to implement innovation technology for the common good of the people, the State and Federal Government have the sovereign right through taxation, incentive and quasi public corporation to provide those services.
Renewable energy technology application may not be an individual corporation's best interest or even profitable, but it may be the goal of the Public and the governing body for the common good. Alaska has the chance to become the leader of energy Independence. If no private citizen, company or corporation has step forward to provide those services to the citizens in timely fashion or universal application by the RIGHTS and OBLIGATIONS as provided in the State Constitution, the STATE "SHALL".
Yes yes! Thank you. We have wasted too much time and been asleep about our energy future. HB 152 supports a clean and renewable energy future for Alaska. Call your Senator AND call Stedman, it's okay to go outside the box, especially when the box has kept us addicted to fossil fuels and stuck with high energy costs.
Out in the Cold: The Senate has not expressed any displeasure with Sen Stedman. In this Legislature, there has only been one committee chair that has been removed: Vic Kohring. And that took a federal indictment. Of the three senators who would be willing to listen to most readers of the News-Miner, only Sen. Thomas is in the majority, and he has little power as he is still a freshman. Sen. Stedman isn't going anywhere, and neither is this bill.
robbmyers: HB 152 passed the House Y35 E4 A1. The list of Co-Sponsors of the Bill reads like a who's who from conservatives and liberals alike. In a democracy, WE THE PEOPLE are the Boss, and if the Boss isn't happy sometimes there is unfortunate collateral damage. The Co-Sponsors of this Bill recognize that something needs to be done for long range energy plans and implementation.
Out in the Cold: Many bills pass the House with widespread support only to die in the Senate. We may be a democracy, but that's not how the system works. If you want to change it, pass a Constitutional amendment so that we don't have individual representatives for individual districts.
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