Don’t throw RES out with cap-and-trade

turbineIn a recent address at the Glass Association of North America’s fall conference in Kansas City, Mo., Gov. Mark Parkinson stepped up his endorsement of the national renewable energy standard, currently part of the House-passed energy bill. He said, “Most people watching (the cap-and-trade bill) believe it will not pass the Senate.” If it fails, he added, “We’re encouraging our delegation to work with delegations around the country and revive just the RES portion of the current cap-and-trade bill.” A national RES, he said, “would really catapult renewable energy to the next level.” The national RES in the House bill would require electric utilities to meet 20 percent of their electricity demand through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency by 2020.

8 Comments

  1. JWink
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 7:19 am | Permalink

    Mark Parkinson, the unelected Kansas Governor, sold Kansas residual drinking water supply in the Ogallala aquifer to the highest bidder when he approved the proposed coal-fired power plant near Holcomb/Garden City, Kansas. This power plant will also emit air pollution for generations from the west edge of Kansas to waft over the entire state with normal prevailing winds.

    Now Parkinson is trying to look holier than thou by supporting part of an energy bill that would promote renewable energy sources.

    Sorry Gov. Parkinson, your “interest” in the Kansas environment is already down the drain.

  2. LonnythePlumber
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 10:03 am | Permalink

    Holcomb will use only a third of the water that is used for agricultural uses. Parkinson kept the people of Kansas in mind when he received concessions for approving only one plant to be built. A plant that produces 20% less emissions than our eastern plants while not quadrupling the cost of electricity. Parkinson will continue his push for reasonable environment energy.

  3. BlueJay
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 11:03 am | Permalink

    I wouldn’t take Parkinson’s word for a rainy day.

  4. Phantom
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 11:38 am | Permalink

    I hope the third of the water will come out of the ag allotment, but I suspect it’s an additional drain on the aquafier.

  5. JWink
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 5:20 pm | Permalink

    Lonnie the Plumber is an eternal optimist. A good guy, I see him at city council meetings … he always sees the silver lining.

    But in regard to the great drinking water in our Ogallala aquifer which lies under most of western and central Kansas including the Equus Beds aquifer from which Wichita gets a large portion of its drinking water — all tests by the geological organizations show its dropping every year.

    Unfortunately the deep underground Ogallala aquifer does not recharge anywhere near enough to counter the draw down by thousands of well points into the aquifer.

    The nebulus “water reserved for agricultural uses” cited by Lonnie the Plumber has always allowed too much water to be taken out of the aquifer resulting in its continued decline.

    Its like budgeting $1,000/month for entertainment when you have lost your job and have NO income. It ain’t going to work over the long run.

    True, the City of Wichita is experimenting with a very expensive recharge operation up near Halstead on the little Arkansas River during high flows. But I maintain this underground recharge water flows east towards Newton and the Cottonwood River. Don’t know if Wichita’s water supply will benefit.

    When the aquifer water runs out, Wichita and other western and central Kansas communities won’t have many alternatives but to obtain drinking water from the regurgitated, severely polluted Arkansas River and other sluggish surface rivers.

    I suspect Lonnie the Plumber and a secret conspiratorial cabal of the plumbing industry are looking forward to this development to rake in profane profits from the dangerously developing Kansas drinking water situation.

  6. LonnythePlumber
    Posted September 13, 2009 at 8:09 pm | Permalink

    I agree that Jerry is right that the aquifer is being pulled down regardless of the reason and that it should be curtailed. It’s exciting to think I could be part of a cabal. Jerry’s cool.

  7. donndublin
    Posted September 15, 2009 at 2:36 pm | Permalink

    cosMo must be sick today.

  8. Regular
    Posted September 15, 2009 at 2:38 pm | Permalink

    donndublin
    Posted September 15, 2009 at 2:36 pm | Permalink
    cosMo must be sick today.
    ———————
    Or busy posting topics.