Jolt of energy needed in Florida House
April 6, 2009 at 5:48 pm by Rick KrisemanBy State Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg
PoHo contributor
Kriseman is guest blogging throughout the Florida Legislature’s 60-day session.
The House Democratic Caucus is imploring Speaker Larry Cretul to consider a renewable energy package. At a time when most states are moving forward with innovative policies, such as feed-in tariff, and are making real progress in adhering to a true renewable portfolio standard, Florida appears to be stuck in neutral. Even in the state senate, where at least some energy policy is being considered, the opportunity to create and invest in renewables is being diminished by a “clean” energy standard which includes nuclear power and coal gasification.
As the Ranking Democrat on the Energy & Utilities Policy Committee, my office worked with the Democratic office to craft a letter to the speaker. In the letter, Democratic Leader Franklin Sands writes that ”after months of committee meetings and four weeks of session, the Florida House of Representatives has no energy package. None. The impression in any thinking Floridian’s mind is that we are ignoring not just initiatives that will directly benefit Florida, but ignoring a worldwide movement, and firmly embracing an obsolete status quo. With no energy policy, we risk losing badly needed federal economic recovery dollars which could spur an explosive growth in green technologies here in Florida.”
We’re just past halftime. It’s not too late for the 4th Floor of the Capitol to see the light. As long as that light is powered by a renewal source of energy.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:12 am
There has not been enough of an outcry from the people of Florida. Now is not the time to let our Representives go at this alone.
Floridians want this to happen. We know that renewable energy will give us the industry that we need to succeed in this economy. We can take the power back and make this work for Florida. We need to show our support to Rep. Kriseman and the other Representaives who support renewable energy.
We need to get on the phone an call all of the Representaives and Senators of this great state and tell them that we will not accept anything less than a Renewable industry now….not sometime in the future…now!