Stage Set for November Ballot Duels Over Clean-Energy Plans

Capitol Weekly: Two major ballot initiatives, each emphasizing the need for clean power and renewable energy amid the public's rising concerns over greenhouse gases, will confront California voters in November. One initiative is being bankrolled by the nation's largest purveyor of vehicular natural gas. Moreover, it is being sold as an environmentally friendly initiative, the measure's sponsor could make millions of dollars if it is approved by voters.  The plan calls for $5 billion in bonds to develop and encourage the use of clean alternative fuels and renewable energy, with half the money going to new or repowered clean vehicles. "Clean alternative fuel" means natural gas and "any fuel that achieves a reduction of at least 10 percent" in carbon emissions. Thus far, the sole financial backer of the initiative-- which includes incentives for passenger cars, trucks and commercial vehicles--is Clean Energy Fuels Corp. of Seal Beach, which has donated about $1.5 million. The other initiative, drafted by the Manatt Phelps political law firm, would require all utilities--whether municipal or private--to get at least half of their electricity from clean- and solar-power sources by 2025. Almost all the financing for the latter initiative has come from Peter Sperling son of the founder of the University of Phoenix, who contributed $1.8 million. But there is a surprise in who is opposing the measure, some environmentalists and California's largest utilities have joined together to try and block it. The utilities believe the initiative goes too far too fast; the environmentalists say it doesn't do enough.

To read more click here.

Comments

There are no comments for this entry.

Name:

Email:

URL:

Your comment:

Please enter the word you see in the image below:

More News

• INFORMATION FOR

• 
• 
• 
• 
•