Energy advocates question Palin’s rejection of federal funds

[steven johnson]

Sarah Palin's political career to nowhere has hitched itself to more intellectually bankrupt blather.

Renewable energy advocates who have worked closely with Gov. Sarah Palin on energy programs say they are baffled by the governor's decision not to accept about $55 million in federal stimulus funds for energy.
A joint press release issued by Meera Kohler, CEO of Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Chris Rose, with the Renewable Energy Alaska Project, and Kate Troll, with the Alaska Conservation Alliance, argued that any "strings" attached to the federal energy funds are relatively unimportant compared to the benefits of using the money.

Acceptance of the funds require the state or a municipal government to implement energy codes for residential and commercial buildings, but states and local governments have eight years to comply with this.

"It has long been demonstrated that the cheapest source of energy is the energy you don't have to produce," said Troll, with the Conservation Alliance. "And since we're doing everything that is attached to these federal funds, accepting those funds would be automatic. Overall, there appears to be no burdensome requirements that would preclude acceptance of these energy funds."


http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/032709/loc_news003.shtml