Feinstein Kills Thirteen Renewable Energy Projects

Senator Diane Feinstein utilized legislative chicanery to block the development of thirteen renewable energy projects in the Mohave Desert. Feinstein was able to block the projects now by introducing a bill which would make them illegal later — if the bill is passed. Feinstein also sent a warning letter to the federal Bureau of Land Management warning them against approving permits for renewable energy on these lands.

Feinstein’s NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) efforts to derail the development of renewable energy efforts in California highlight how self-serving and short-sighted limousine liberals can be. They won’t be hurt by the skyrocketing energy prices that will cause so much pain for ordinary Californians.

California needs energy and Feinstein’s opposition to renewable energy is a crime against all Californians. As Governor Schwarzenegger said, “If we cannot put solar power plants in the Mojave desert, I don’t know where the hell we can put it.”

Feinsten blocked development plans of BrightSource Energy and Stirling Energy Systems. These companies will now suffer and investors will be less willing to put their money into alternative energy projects in the future. How can any reasonable investor put his hard earned money in a project which can be canceled on a moments notice by any tyrannical U.S. senator?

These events are very reminscent of the wind farm that Cape Wind was building off the coast of Nantucket Sound until Ted Kennedy got the project canceled because he was afraid that he would be able to see the turbines from his mansion.  Politicians may not be trustworthy, but at least they are predictable.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has a project devoted to tracking and combatting these luddite opponents of energy progress, Project No Project.  In their own words, “Project No Project is an interactive venture that seeks to tell the story of NIMBY and its damaging impact on jobs, infrastructure and economic prosperity. Through Project No Project, the U.S. Chamber seeks to provide the cold, hard truth about NIMBY and radical environmental activism, and make our leaders finally pay attention to this growing problem.”