[Eenc-board] [Fwd: Energy Bill Sends NC Backward]

[Info-TFF]

very sad, I guess EE needs to advance a few notches.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Energy Bill Sends NC Backward
Date: 	Tue, 31 Jul 07 15:30:23 Eastern Standard Time
From: 	NCWARN <ncwarn at ncwarn.org>
To: 	<info at theforestfoundation.org>



/NC WARN: Waste Awareness & Reduction Network/

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*House Approval of Energy Bill S-3 Sends NC Backward*

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*/Utility influence& sorry process leads to damaging legislation /*

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STATEMENT BY JIM WARREN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NC WARN:

North Carolina has been harmed by a disreputable process that gives 
powerful corporations even more control over our energy and 
environmental future ? at the worst possible time for our climate. It?s 
deplorable that a $10,000 per legislator investment by the power 
companies ? and far more to their key supporters* ? could lead to such 
an anti-consumer, anti-environment bill.

*THE BILL?S CONTENT*

Protections for our climate, health and economy have been gutted because 
the bill?s clean energy provisions are dwarfed by measures promoting 
dirty energy, expensive power plants, and disincentives for efficiency. 
An incentive allowing the corporate hog industry to continue polluting 
our communities and rivers with thousands of feces-and-urine ?lagoons? 
is nothing short of shameful.

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*A DECEPTIVE PROCESS*

The process was tainted throughout by backroom negotiations. The 
utilities and allies rigged the bill even before a slanted ?stakeholder? 
process began, adding sweeteners to gain approval from various business 
interests. As the bill emerged in the Senate in late June, promoters 
falsely claimed the environmental community supported S-3, confusing 
legislators into inaction.

Then, as public interest attorneys began unraveling the bill?s 
complexities and scores of organizations began calling for sufficient 
time so that legislators could understand the bill,

S-3 promoters and legislative leadership _increased_ their pressure to 
speed passage.

*A SILVER LINING*

A large statewide mobilization in recent weeks proved that citizen 
groups are uniting for clean energy. It?s unfortunate we weren?t given a 
chance to put that voice behind a renewables bill that wasn?t held 
hostage to massive giveaways to the power companies. It?s tragic that 
bill supporters were able to ride the momentum of backroom dealing and 
distorted information long enough to overcome attempts to ensure that 
lawmakers and the public could understand the bill?s ramifications.

Although the bill tied one hand behind our backs, the broad popular 
reform movement will continue exposing undue corporate influence, 
building the muscle needed to reinvigorate democratic institutions in 
North Carolina, and making the shift to clean, safe energy.

##

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** See the Democracy NC report at www.ncwarn.org 
<http://www.ncwarn.org/>, and the **Winston-Salem** Journal?s *

article, *Crafting of energy bill prompts questions: *

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352139355 
<http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ/MGArticle/WSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352139355>

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*NC WARN*

N.C. Waste Awareness & Reduction Network

P.O. Box 61051

Durham, NC 27715-1051

919-416-5077

919-286-3985 fax

email: ncwarn at ncwarn.org <mailto:ncwarn at ncwarn.org>

www.ncwarn.org <http://www.ncwarn.org/>

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