Energy & Environment
May 15, 2013
HF 729 should be renamed the 2013 Omnibus Jobless Bill
May 15, 2013
A number of proposals to implement new energy mandates on electric utilities and their consumers are quickly moving through the Minnesota legislature in the final days of the legislative session. Ironically, the solar and other energy mandates, despite finding a home in the jobs bill, will cost Minnesota jobs.
May 11, 2013
Even though much of the feel-good twaddle has been dropped from the Senate version, the 100 percent renewable energy goal remains. All it would take would be an activist judge or an over-eager department head to turn such wishful thinking into state policy.
May 9, 2013
Proposals to expand Minnesota’s renewable energy mandates will raise electricity prices on Minnesota families and businesses. If electricity prices increase by a half cent to two cents per kilowatt hour, the loss of Minnesota jobs in just the manufacturing, retail and hospitality sectors will likely amount to 12,000 to 49,000 jobs.
May 2, 2013
This morning (May 2nd) I attended an event held in the southeast metro at a conference center with floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides. After last night’s freak, early-May snowstorm, the windows offered an excellent, 270° view of the several inches of climate change blanketing the Minnesota countryside.
Apr 22, 2013
Some of the biggest changes that will result from one-party rule will be felt in energy policies, with implications for family budgets, jobs and economic growth. Ironically, the push for so-called green energy is fueled by money derived from oil—the heirs to the Standard Oil fortune.
Mar 8, 2013
House File 880 proposes to modify the state’s Renewable Energy Mandate primarily by increasing the percentage of renewables required and by requiring a specific percentage to come from solar.
Feb 13, 2013
It's time to join the pause in global luke-warming and also pause in the building of multibillion-dollar projects like Cape Wind and Ivanpah Solar that produce modest amounts of usable energy.
There is time to spend some of the money on research into what is really happening with our climate.Adaptation will be as effective as the costly mitigation programs that are currently in vogue.
Dec 17, 2012
The federal government's very generous wind-power subsidy is set to expire at year's end. It's no surprise that the special interests feeding at this subsidy trough are putting pressure on Congress to extend it.
Nov 27, 2012
Kristi Rosenquist has a Guest Blog today: Today is a state-wide kickoff of a series of citizen forums advertised as asking Minnesotans their thoughts about the future of Minnesota's Environmental policies. The forums are sponsored by the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB).