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Energy (and a nice update)
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Let's start with the update. Measure A, the parcel tax in San Geronimo Valley to support the Lagunitas School District, ended up passing with just over 68% of the vote. My previous article was written before all the votes were tallied and with a good dose of exuberant pessimism. You'll have to excuse me, I'm Irish-- we get excited when merde hits the fan. Pardon my French. (Thank you for indulging me.)
Marinites are often out in space when it comes to what's important, be it a yuppie's new porsche, a hippie's newest New Age mantra, or the yuppie's punk kid's new tattoo-- Marinites often have their minds elsewhere. But one thing that may not be on the radar of everyday Marinites is something big, something relevant to their pocket books, to their lungs, to the health of present and future generations: a plan to challenge PG&E and create a new County energy authority. Various companies are bidding for the contract, including oil giant Shell.
Within roughly 3 months, the various municipal governments of the County will have to choose whether or not they want to remain part of the new authority or continue on with PG&E as the sole provider. Residents of the jurisdictions that stay on with the authority will continue to have the option of staying with PG&E as their energy provider, or going with the new company which according to authority rules must 1. maintain rates at or below PG&E prices, and 2. provide at least 25% of its electricity from renewable sources. Users who wish to receive 100% renewable energy will be able to do so at a somewhat increased charge. Just how much isn't known yet.
But wherefore such an initiative? Well, PG&E is not keeping pace with state law. Apparently, PG&E will not be able to provide 20% of its energy from renewable sources as the state-mandates all supplies must by next year. Currently, only 15% of the energy supplied by the power company
PG&E is of course disdainful of this measure and has sent representatives to publicly lobby the Board of Supervisors which unanimously approves the initiative. Former Assemblyman for Marin and Sonoma, Joe Nation, is one of those lobbyists. He suggests that the initiative will not live up to 2020 state mandates. That's right Joe, support the company that won't live up to next year's mandates because you project that this initiative won't live up to a mandate ten years future. Smart man, you. Likely well-to-do, anyway. To be fair, he has very impressive education and a good record on environmental issues. But he's also a politician, one with perhaps larger ambitions than his conscience and integrity can restrain. Diplomas for hire, I guess.
Personally, I'm not so sure market-based solutions (such as those proposed in Congress by Senators Kerry and Boxer-- and supported by PG&E) exist for climate change. It seems to me that companies in a free market will continue to produce the cheapest energy possible to stay competitive with other companies rather than invest in renewable technologies for which limited infrastructure exists. For all we know, adding a cap-and-trade system may just create a new market prone to speculation and all the chicanery that we've seen in the financial and real estate markets in the recent past... and not actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Markets aren't the answer to everything and it's time that people take off their ideological blinders.
Before Obama was elected, many on the center and left hoped that he would turn out to be a 21st century, multiracial FDR. If Obama were truly a new FDR, he'd involve the Federal Government directly in the construction of renewable energy plants. Instead he's more of an Eisenhower-- San Rafael has many roads undergoing repaving with Federal funds. Not the best solution for energy or job growth. Obama's got a tough job cut out for him and he is certainly in no enviable position politically, but the gloves have to come off at some point. Compromise was idiots turns reasonable solutions half-idiotic.
