A fact check on the green energy bill (June 5)
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
While I am sure he means well, Rep. Henry Waxman, chief author of the “American Clean Energy and Security Act,” makes some mighty outrageous claims.
Even Superman wouldn’t make promises like that.
Maybe, though, we can just chalk them up as political hyperbole designed to make folks think global warming can be stopped and the economy reinvigorated with just a 932-page piece of legislation.
Waxman, a Democrat, represents the environs of Beverly Hills and Malibu, among others. Those constituents will no doubt be impressed by the assertion that the “act will create millions of new clean-energy jobs, save billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America’s energy independence and cut global warming.” Wow.
First, the reality of “green” energy is that in the overall scheme of things it probably won’t contribute a significant part of the nation’s energy for many years — at least not without taxpayer input that would make the bailouts seem like chump change. Unless, of course, you want to include nuclear power plants as green energy sources, which they are. However, Waxman’s constituents would tar and feather him if he suggested establishing clusters of new nukes.
To his constituents, and to many Americans, green energy means solar cells on roofs and pretty backyard windmills. But the real powerhouses of solar are parabolic mirror farms, which environmentalists can’t stand. And windmill farms are almost as unpopular with the environment crowd. Birds run into them, and they ruin the view.
To make good on his claims for air-pollution reduction in his district, Waxman would have to seize and destroy every car that isn’t a Prius or a Ford Escort hybrid. You know how big that would go over.
Waxman would do better to take going green a step at a time, like Mayor Sam Armentrout is promoting here in Madera, where we’ll likely see some practical results.
