Sarah Palin's Mixed Record On Renewable Energy

grist.org

McCain VP pick Sarah Palin has a record of being both a friend and foe of Big Oil in her home state of Alaska. But she's also made a point of voicing support for renewable and "clean" energy sources. Flashback one week to Palin's big convention speech in St. Paul: "Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines, build more nuclear plants, create jobs with clean coal, and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources."

As governor, she promised enviros in her state that she's going to come out with a comprehensive energy plan, and even appointed someone to head up that mission. But her actions as governor are a mixed bag when it comes to supporting renewables. In 2007, Palin vetoed $20 million in state money to support the Fire Island Wind Farm Project, before this year allowing it to move forward. At the same time, she vetoed $268 million in budget items this year, including other wind and energy projects. The same budget included $2 million for an controversial conference intended to "highlight arguments that global warming isn't threatening the survival of polar bears." Palin herself has argued against listing the polar bear as endangered, rejecting the recommendations of state and national biologists.

Meanwhile, a number of renewable projects in the state are stalled due to a lack of funding. And as the Anchorage Daily News points out, the $1,200 checks for "energy relief" that Palin ensured would be handed out to every resident of the state last year totaled $700 million. That could cover nearly half of the $1.5 billion price tag for a hydropower project currently under consideration in Lake Chakachamna, which could move the state toward clean, home-grown energy.

This year, everyone in the state is getting $2,069 from the state's oil royalties fund, as well as another $1,200 from the state treasury to help offset high fuel prices.

Comments

[karronna]

Some interesting issues surrounding Palin's gas pipline contract:
My understanding of this project is that Conoco ( an American company) and BP were bidding against TransCanada but wanted estimates as to the potential volume of gas to flow through the line as ongoing revenues are based on this. Transcanada wanted estimates to, but since the State didn't supply them, they signed the contract with Alaska with a triple damages clause that if the state facilitated a contract with a competitor, Transcanada is due three times this "unestimated" amount. Appears openended which could be dangerous IMHO.
In addition the State puts up $500 mil in non-refundable "seed money"... and the feds put up at LEAST 18 billion in guarantees.
There is no guarantee or mechanism in place for this gas to reach the lower 48. - the line ends in Alberta, Canada and there is a plan to divert some of the gas for shipment to China in the form of Liquid Natural Gas from a yet to be built facility in Valdez, Alaska.The proposed line ends in the Alberta tar sands where oil extraction has previously been to costly to explore due to the amount of water and natural gas required for extraction. in their 2006 Annual Report Royal Dutch Shell bragged about doubling their profit per barrel of oil from their Alberta tar sand field when compared to the profits they were making from other means of oil production.

[twocanpete]

I've been blogging this all week. Alaska is funded to the tune of 89% from oil taxes. Those taxes are payed by you and I at the pump and right now Alaskans are costing us about 27 cents a gallon! The only thing Sarah Palin knows about oil companies, or the whole subject of energy for that matter, is that she has a giant 'money tree' in her back yard. Whenever the State of Alaska needs some more of the green stuff they just do a little shake down on the rest of us.

[luckyinnc]

Thats not bad compared to ChicagObamas NO record on renewable energy