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11/05/2008 10:33 AM
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Ballot Initiatives in the Balance
SustainableBusiness.com News
Two ballot initiatives, claiming the 'green' designation in California, appear to have been defeated in yesterday's election.
The outcome for clean energy ballot measures in Colorado and Missouri are not yet clear.
California's
Proposition 10, which would have created rebate incentives for the
purchase of cars and trucks running on natural gas or other alternative
fuels, was defeated by roughly 60% of the vote.
Proposition 7,
which would have required California's electric utilities to receive
half of their power from renewable sources by 2025, was defeated by an
even larger margin, with about 65% voting no.
The voting public may or may not have gotten it right.
Proposition
10 would have required $5 billion in public bond money to force
creation of a market for natural gas as fuel for vehicles. It was
supported by billionaire oil-man-turned-wind/natural gas-man T. Boone
Pixens. His Clean Energy Fuels Corporation contributed nearly $19
million to the Yes on Prop 10 campaign and would have made a fortune if
it had passed.
For the last six months Pickens plan to reduce
American dependence on Foreign oill has received widespread attention.
To the extent that it calls for increased wind power in the U.S., the
plan is undeniably sound. However, the plan calls for the transition to
natural gas-powered vehicles, which would simply expand the nation's
reliance on that fossil fuel, while potentially derailing the promise
of cleaner electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Pickens' investment stake in the plan has also drawn fierce criticism.
"Proposition
10 pulled back the veil from the Pickens Plan, and revealed that
taxpayers would be hit hard with the cost of funding giveaways designed
to put money in Mr. Pickens' pockets. The Pickens' Plan flunked the
smell test with California voters," said Richard Holober, spokesman for
the No on Prop 10 campaign, and Executive Director of the Consumer
Federation of California.
Controversy Over Proposition 7
Proposition
7 would have required California utility companies to ramp up their
supply of renewable energy considerably faster than a plan supported by
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and others. It was opposed by the
utilities, national environmental groups and some clean energy
companies, who said the measure was poorly written and would have
slowed an already steady transition to renewable energy in the state,
while also shutting out smaller alternative energy companies.
However,
many disagreed with this critique of the measure, and some in the
blogosphere made strong arguments that the unusal alliance between the
environmental groups and businesses was a testament to the fact that
these groups have become too intertwined.
California High-Speed Rail
It
appears the that California's Proposition 1A, High-Speed Rail Ballot
Measure, has passed by a 4% margin. The measure is meant to catalyze
the development of a high-speed rail system and make improvements to
existing rail networks. It provides $9.95 billion in bond funds to spur
the development of an 800-mile high-speed rail system and improve
existing rail networks.
