Posted on 06/04/2012 5:04:22 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
When Sacramento officials proposed putting solar panels on an old city landfill two years ago, they did so with the intention of providing clean energy to thousands of homes.
However, in a twist that surprised many at City Hall, the people who might be expected to celebrate such a green venture ended up being the plan's loudest critics.
Environmentalists and wildlife advocates argued that the field in Sutter's Landing Park – sitting atop a mound of buried trash that boasts majestic views of the downtown skyline – is a key feeding ground for the threatened Swainson's hawk.
The hawks, a big draw for visitors to the park, are often seen diving to the mound to feed on mice living in the tall grass. That grass – and those mice – would have been hidden by a field of solar panels.
Now, instead of an expanse of solar panels, the city is working on a scaled-back facility that will cover roughly 2.5 acres near a parking lot and dog park, and power a few hundred homes.
"Initially, I thought it was kind of absurd to oppose putting solar panels on top of a mound that was an old garbage dump," said City Councilman Steve Cohn. "But I was educated. In this case, (the environmental groups) had a point."
It's the kind of debate being waged across California. Cities, counties and utility companies continue to jump into a wave of green technology, seeking to cut back on energy costs and protect the environment. A state law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year requires that utilities generate one-third of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Easiest way to get rid of this green energy boondoggle is to force those screaming the loudest on its use to actually use it.
Another reason to flee CA.
Jerry Brown signed a bill mandating a third of utility energy must come from green sources by 2020.
No wonder there’s frantic rush to come up with something, anything, that would qualify.
Like the CA legislature and Jerry Brown know or care anything about ENERGY POLICY.
They are leftist ideologues.
What a disaster!
Thank the good Lord we live in TX.
:)
This article illustrates exactly why The “LPDM Community” (Libs/Progs/Dems/Commies) can never govern effectively. Their ideas are straight out of LaLa Land.
When they get what they want, reality kicks in. They are then left facing the “Law of Unintended Consequences.”
Unfortunately for the rest of us, even gross negative outcomes fostered by their policies doesn’t seem to deter a headlong plunge into the abyss of their stupidity.
A state law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year requires that utilities generate one-third of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The law may have been signed by Jerry Brown, but it first passed the California assembly who frankly should have known better. Now it is up to power generating sources, to stand up and be counted.
Just who is it that says, officially, that coal, oil, nuclear, hydro, and any other source of power generation is NOT renewable? Come on, I want names, and once we have names the answer is clear.
The premise is false from the beginning.
“Thank the good Lord we live in TX.”
Those of us who still live in California thank the good Lord you do too!
Jerry Brown signed a bill mandating a third of utility energy must come from green sources by 2020.”””
SOOOOO....
IF a power company is now producing 100% of their power from ‘non-renewable’ sources, and by 2020, they can only produce say, 10% from such sources, does that mean that the power company can only put out 30% in 2020 of what they can produce NOW???
I know for a fact that the Sierra Club & other greenies are forcing P G & E (Pacific Gas & Electric) to tear down their hydroelectric facilities all over the Sierra Nevada.
What can be more ‘renewable’ than such a power production facility? It rains & snows every year and such water provides the hydroelectric power-—until the Environazis force the shut down of such places.
We are being lied to from every direction & we will be living in caves by 2100.
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