Palin refuses the gift that keeps on giving
image from http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/hate_is_a_strong_word
I wish I could “say it ain’t so” (to quote the subject of this post), but it is. In an event that demonstrates the way of the maverick, Sarah Palin has become the only Governor in the United States to refuse economic recovery funds for energy. Why? Because it promotes energy efficiency. Perplexing? You betcha.
Sure other state Governors are turning down economic recovery money, like for education, but money to invest in energy efficiency is totally the gift that keeps on giving.
Basically, the federal government wants to give Alaska $29 million for energy projects. What does Alaksa have to do? Spend the money on renewable energy and energy efficiency, adopt the latest building codes for energy efficiency, and begin looking at policies that allow utilities to make money selling less electricity instead of more. I think if you read the statute closely, it even says Gov. Palin could shoot a wolf out of an airplane along the way (I guess, as long as that plane’s running on renewable fuel), but instead the trigger happy maverick decided to shoot the goose that laid the golden egg.
Remind me why our country rejected such stellar executive leadership?
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/gov-palin-on-energy-money-no-thanks/?pagemode=print
<!– — Updated: 7:00 am –>
Gov. Palin on Energy Money: No, Thanks
By Kate GalbraithGov. Sarah Palin of Alaska has decided to accept all federal stimulus money her state is eligible for, with one exception: the nearly $29 million for the state energy office.
Ms. Palin has rejected the state energy office funds out of concern that it would obligate Alaska to enact more stringent building codes. “Alaska’s vast expanse and differing conditions are not conducive to a federally mandated, universal energy code,” she said in a statement.
“Mandating universal energy building codes throughout our state is not in Alaskans’ common or individual interests,” she added.
The stimulus funds for states’ energy offices come with other efficiency-oriented stipulations. To be eligible for the money, governors must offer assurances that their state will not only strengthen its building code, but also that they will make energy efficiency and renewable energy a priority when spending the funds. The states are also supposed to make sure that utilities have incentives to help their customers make their homes and businesses more energy-efficient (a concept called “decoupling,” because it ensures that utilities have ways to make money besides simply selling more energy). See Section 410, “Additional State Energy Grants,” in the law.
Other governors have also taken stands against stimulus funds (though even South Carolina, whose governor was at the forefront of the opposition, has decided to take funds). But Benjamin Deitchman of the National Association of State Energy Officials said Ms. Palin was the only governor not to sign an assurance letter to Steven Chu, the secretary of energy, announcing an intention to comply with the policies tied to the funds for state energy offices. (Click on your state to read its letter, or see these samples from Missouri and Michigan.)
For Ms. Palin, the decision to accept most of the rest of the stimulus funds ($930 million for Alaska) is an about-face. She had earlier stated that she planned to reject 30 percent of the money, drawing criticism from some state lawmakers.
