Republican State Congressmen Support Renewable Energy and Conservation
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 01.31.06
This just in from the Green Bay Press Gazette: "State Sen. Robert Cowles and Rep. Phil Montgomery, both Republicans from Green Bay [WI USA], are tweaking a bill they think would help hold the line on swelling energy prices in Wisconsin...The measure calls for utilities to increase the percentage of energy they produce from renewable sources over the next nine years, would set up new building codes to increase energy efficiency in structures and would prohibit lawmakers from taking money out of the public benefits program, which provides grants for low-income people to meet their energy bills". Sounds awfully TreeHugger, and true to the name Green Bay. Could we be approaching a new tipping point in grass roots political consciousness? This approach could be a much faster solution than planning new nuclear generators, so it would make sense for responsive local officials to lend support. Let us know if other state legislatures are moving in similar directions.
The U.S. politician who's most outspoken about the issue of Peak Oil is pro-life, conservative Christian GOP Representative Roscoe Bartlett from Maryland. His record on environmental issues is mixed, but on energy policy he's in favor of renewable resources.
Thank you for giving credit to a few good green Republicans. I'll be the first to say that the GOP could be doing a lot more for the environment, but too often even when they do, they get very little public thanks. Doing this more often, will get more GOPers to the green side.
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Glad to offer a word of recognition for a pragmatic proposal. Wisconsin has a progressive tradition that in the past encompassed people of both parties. Hopefully it can be renewed.