Reading the Green Energy Act…
Well they’ve done it. Yes indeed. Ontario’s Abbott and Costello, introduced their Green Energy Act.
“Few things are as alarming as politicians who don’t understand an issue suddenly deciding they do and then dictating to the rest of us how we will be permitted to respond.” – Toronto Sun, February, 22 2009.
Still working on the bill itself. It’s a total of 75 pages. Naturally some of it is quite significant and worrisome other stuff is either unrelated or uncontroversial.
I am all for retrofits and conservation. Mandating the purchase of energy friendly products seems like a reasonable proposition too.
The “Renewable Energy” section is worse than I thought upon first glance. I am working through it now and will have more to say later.
Here’s a shocker for you – hot off the wire.
Toronto Hydro Applauds the Province of Ontario’s Green Energy Act
Toronto Hydro Corporation is pleased that the Ministry of Energy has implemented this bold initiative. I bet.
“On initial review, it seems that we will be able to accelerate the introduction of conservation and renewable energy projects.” David O’Brien, President of Toronto Hydro Energy Services - By accelerate do you mean ignore those pesky parts of the Class EA you were already ignoring before until we told Natural Resources on you and you delayed your application?
“For further information: Blair Peberdy, Toronto Hydro Corporation, Chief Conservation Officer, W: (416) 542-2515, C: (416) 356-8001″ - Blair, what have you done with Joyce? I thought this was her shtick?
Tags: Dalton McGuinty, George Smitherman, Green Energy Act, Green Energy Act Setbacks, Offshore Setbacks Ontario, Offshore Wind in Ontario, Toronto Hydro Energy Services
February 24th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Hey John: Did you read the part where they are using reverse onus. That means the people have to prove that Hydro et. al. will do harm. They (with all the money) don’t have to prove anything. That sounds like the tail wagging the dog. I thought governments were there to protect the people. I guess not.
Oh well, an election is coming. Not soon enough though.
March 6th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
The statement below is not a quote of anything I said, but an “interpretation” by a reporter.
“The dire need to stop global warming with an aggressive renewable energy plan for Ontario outstrips potential damage to sensitive environmental areas, says Marion Fraser, a founding member of the Green Energy Act Alliance.”
My remarks indicated that environmental protection trumped conerns about esthetics. And that we need to find balance between short term impacts and the potential to destroy entire species as the result of global warming. However, if one denies global warming, I guess that is not a good argument, but then the arguments of the flat earth society weren’t too good either.
We need to find a new energy paradigm that gives communities “power” and accountabilty for their own energy supplies.
March 7th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Marion,
I will never be convinced you can distroy the environment to save it. Seems your open to the idea of trying. It’s like blood letting to solve illness.