Those lovely Koch Brothers and their aggressive push to dismantle ME's renewable energy standards

[cali]

The billionaire force behind GOP attempts to dismantle Maine’s renewable energy standards

Put into effect nearly 15 years ago with bipartisan support, Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard has created thousands of jobs, cut down on harmful pollution and helped to keep more of Mainers’ energy dollars in the state. Requiring 30 percent of the state’s energy providers’ electricity sales to come from renewables such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric power, it has also led to tremendous investment by renewable energy companies that are paying more than $17 million annually in property taxes and employing more than 2,500 Mainers.

Simply put, the Renewable Portfolio Standard is working — for everyday Mainers and businesses alike. In light of our struggling economy, programs such as the RPS should be celebrated and protected. So what could possibly have motivated Gov. Paul LePage to devote an entire weekly radio address to attacking the program? And why are some elected officials pushing legislation that would dismantle it?

A new report by the Maine Conservation Alliance, Maine’s Majority Education Fund and Maine People’s Alliance, issued earlier this month, sheds some light on the powerful forces fueling LePage and his allies’ efforts to weaken Maine’s RPS: Charles and David Koch, billionaire industrialists from Kansas and owners of the second largest private company in the U.S. with revenues estimated at $100 billion a year.

The Kochs have an aggressive network of front groups at their behest in our state, which they leverage frequently to help them promote and pursue their financial interests. These groups operate for the most part behind the scenes in the form of think tanks, campaigns, nonprofit organizations and legislative PACs. The activities of this network are deceptive by design to mask their deep self-interest: The Kochs have no stake in the long-term viability of our state, aside from making sure that the policies in place bolster their bottom line.

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http://bangordailynews.com/2013/06/04/opinion/the-billionaire-force-behind-gop-attempts-to-dismantle-maines-renewable-energy-standards/

[Laelth]

1. Interesting (but complicated) issue. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Triana]

2. They're doing the same thing in NC, which has a similar policy

or HAD a similar policy. The requirement wasn't as high as 30 percent. I think it was 10 percent or something like that. In fact, I think NC was one of the leaders in solar or some such (can't remember details) -- nonetheless, I'm sure ALEC/Koch Bros will change all that since they now run NC as well.