Huge employment and income potential for WV

A Sunday Morning Commentary by Bob Hamburg

Energy proposal falls short: State ignoring sensible solutions

With the recent signing of the Kyoto Protocols by Australia’s new president, the United States of America remains the only major nation on earth unwilling to recognize that unrestrained human exploitation of fossil fuels is perhaps the major contribution to extreme weather events reportedly occurring at greater frequency and severity.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and his appointed Division of Energy and Public Energy Authority have presented the citizens of this state with an energy plan titled “West Virginia Energy Opportunities: A Blueprint for the Future.” The Division of Energy held three Public Hearings on the Efficiency and Conservation, Renewables, and Fossil Fuels aspects of the first public plan.

There was a great deal of citizens’ concern regarding:

Unfortunately, the “revised” plan ignores all of these concerns and thus remains basically a “Grayprint from the Past.” It will assure mention of West Virginia in the history books as one of the last entities to recognize any responsibility for its carbon emissions. It will also assure that the huge employment and income potential from conservation, efficiency and renewables will not be realized by the citizens of this state any time soon.

The “plan” totally avoids any mention of the influence of fossil fuel exploitation upon our climate. It has been suggested that the scientific consensus around atmospheric carbon emissions is rivaled only by the consensus on gravity. It is increasingly recognized worldwide — and increasingly experienced locally — that humans are having significant, potentially dangerous effects on their atmospheric and hydrologic environment. We must all make serious adjustments. Rather than going after 15 percent more coal, West Virginia needs to sign on to the Oil Depletion Protocol, which calls for a 2 percent a year reduction in carbon emissions through 2050.

The presenters of the current (energy) plan suggest it speaks to energy resources and “is not an environmental report.” This is ludicrous! Our energy resources are totally embedded within our environment — as are we. Any discussion that does not specifically address social, health and environmental impacts of energy extraction, processing, production, distribution and use cannot be considered a viable energy plan.

The presenters suggest that the plan offers “Resources for Economic …… yada ….. yada …. yada

Hamburg, of Orma, attended all three Public Energy Authority public hearings and has been a land steward for more than 30 years.

http://www.wvgazette.com/section/Opinion/Op-Ed+Commentaries/200801123

Well now, ole Hamburg'lar mentioned them, but didn't say what they were.

So, really now, just what is "the huge employment and income potential from conservation, efficiency and renewables"?

I would think that someone that has owned a couple acres of land for 30 years and attended 3 meetings would know enough to tell us what they were.

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