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October 3, 2007
State budget should fund renewable energy
A letter to the editor of The Capital Times:
Dear Editor: As we all know, the Legislature is quite tardy on the state budget. One issue that would most likely not be addressed right now is Gov. Jim Doyle's renewable energy proposal, adopted in the Senate budget but rejected by the Assembly. The proposal would create thousands of jobs for people in Wisconsin by creating grants and loans for businesses that build components for renewable energy.We spend about $13 billion a year to import fossil fuels, like oil and coal, from several locations, including Texas, Wyoming, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. This creates jobs, and boosts the economy, for the areas which export fossil fuels to us. Doyle's proposal invests in Wisconsin's resources and businesses.
A report by the Renewable Energy Policy Project showed that the governor's proposal could create 14,000 jobs, with $1.6 billion invested in Wisconsin manufacturers.
The environment would also reap significant benefits. The renewable energy plan would reduce mercury emissions and other toxic air pollutants, which contribute to asthma and learning disorders. The proposal would also limit the damage done to the water and land resources of Wisconsin by decreasing the reliance on fossil fuels.
The Doyle plan supports our state's interests by investing in Wisconsin manufacturers and renewable energy resources. Why would we continue to spend money importing fossil fuels when we could invest in environmentally friendly energy resources manufactured right here in Wisconsin?
Doug Cowgill, Madison
Posted by Ed Blume at October 3, 2007 9:11 AM