Written by: Dan Besse
7/22/2007

I am speaking of Senate Bill 3, rewritten and renamed "Promote Renewable Energy/Baseload Generation ". In its present form as approved by the N.C. Senate, SB 3 has become a sweetheart deal for utilities that would let them make enormously expensive mistakes—and leave the public paying the bill.

Fortunately, some courageous leaders in the N.C. House of Representatives understand these problems. With their help, several of our state's major papers have "outed" the issue and called for the problems with the bill to be repaired before further action is taken. I was especially impressed with the Charlotte Observer's summation of the issue ("Fix it or hold it: Energy bill pending in N.C. legislature is too flawed to pass", 7/19/07): http://www.charlotte.com/opinion/story/202831.html. I was among the concerned individuals to speak about the bill's problems at House committee meetings July 16 and 17.

We are not too late to restore the promise of the original proposal to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy development. Votes in the N.C. House on amendments to SB 3 are slated to begin as soon as Monday, July 23, in the House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee. I am optimistic that House members will stand for the public interest by adopting major repairs to this legislation.

Contacts to representatives in the House and to the Governor are timely now. If you don't have your House member's direct contact info, you may check www.ncleg.net or call the switchboard during business hours at 919-733-4111. The Governor's office may be reached toll-free in North Carolina at 1-800-662-7952.

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