NE2: Sbane Windfarm Act [Signed]

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Sbane Windfarm Act

1) Immediately allow establishment of wind farms on the entire continental shelf of the Northeast region.
2) Only big, slow rotating windmills that don't kill birds will be allowed.
3) There must be a community consultation process prior to the construction of any wind power turbine, as well as a environmental impact study of the site and surrounding area.
 4) The state can take part ownership of projects up to 49% in order to help startups and companies wanting to share the risk. Profits realized from the endeavor will be shared with the state, with profit sharing being proportional to ownership.
5) The state will assist utilities in building transmission lines to transport this energy from the coast. Improvements to the existing grid shall be made to accomodate this increase in electricity production and to deliver it efficiently to population centers.
6) Funding for provisions 4 and 5 shall come from the repeal of the Freedom to Drive Act. The Regional Gas Tax rate goes back to the level before the imposition of the moratorium.

Sponsor: Governor Napoleon
Debate Time: 72 hours
Debate expires: 8:00 p.m., Saturday, May 16th

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Can anyone provide a link to the 'Freedom to Drive Act'?

[Simfan34]

"2) Only big, slow rotating windmills that don't kill birds will be allowed."

Are we talking about banning this:



In favor of this?:



Nix- http://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=111534.msg2432781#msg2432781

Governor -

The Assembly has passed the Freedom To Drive Act by a 4-0 vote, with 1 express abstention and 4 absences.  It is presented to you for your signature or veto.

Freedom To Drive Act

1. The Northeast shall have a moratorium on the Regional Gas Tax.

2. Remaining funds from the RFER (Regional Fund for Economic Recovery) shall be diverted to maintain and repair existing roads.

3. The moratorium will be in effect until funds from the RFER are depleted.

[Senator Napoleon]

I think the moratorium is over at this point since that money has been spent.

We can amend this bill if you think it would be appropriate.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Thank you, Rep Simfan.

I think that an amendment is probably called for, but I'd like to think about this legislation before I propose anything.

[IDS Legislator Alfred F. Jones]

I'm going to be in our fine region's equally fine capital (Atlasia, not RL) for a few days that, coincidentally, consist of the entire time allotted for debate of this bill. Sorry!

I'll be back Sunday, maybe late Saturday night.

[Senator Sbane]

"2) Only big, slow rotating windmills that don't kill birds will be allowed."

Are we talking about banning this:



In favor of this?:

First of all I would like to thank you all for considering this piece of legislation.

Simfan, I actually want more windmills like the ones on top. They rotate slowly but still produce a lot of energy due to their size. What I want to avoid are the ones which are smaller and rotate fast thus killing birds. Not only is this an environmental concern, but also exposes us to lawsuits. The Altamont Pass wind farm was one of the first in the country built in the 1970s but they have gotten a reputation as bird killers. The technology exists to avoid this. Indeed at Altamont pass, the older ones which rotate fast and kill birds are shut off during the winter when migratory birds pass through there, leading to unnecessary losses. These are the ones I am talking about :

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

I have some concerns regarding wind energy.

Wind is unpredictable and consequently the availability of wind energy is fluctuating. Wind energy is therefore not suitable as a base load of energy source. 

The cost-competitiveness of wind power is highly debatable. In most cases, projects rely heavily on incentives to give wind power a fair chance to compete against already well established power sources such as fossil fuels and coal.

I am as well concerned that the actual cost to taxpayers to establish and maintain this technology in the Northeast region may not be fully known, and may, in the future, result in unforseen costs to the taxpayers, especially if the Northeast Region is a major stake holder. 

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

I'm wary of the language in Section 5. At the very least, wind developers should be required to cover the cost of upgrading and constructing electric transmission lines.

A second concern of mine will be more difficult to assuage. While the bill contains language requiring environmental impact studies and community consultations, it provides no means by which either can actually prevent wind development.  I'm not willing to vote for this bill unless we reach agreement on to what extent concerns relating to communities and the environment should influence when and where wind turbines are constructed.

[Simfan34]

Thank you, Senator.

Rep. Winfield, I mirror your concerns in saying I think the the limit is set too high. However I think subsidization is simply a method to bring wind energy into the same cost range as more conventional fossil fuels, a valid and justified move when you consider that the cost of the negative externalities associated with the latter exceeds its market cost.

[Senator Sbane]

There is certainly risk in doing this. The government should do some due diligence before agreeing to supply them with capital. Though I must stress this is not a subsidy, and the taxpayers can make money on these investments as well as lose money. The key is to make wise investments.

Another goal I had with this bill was to make it easier to go ahead with these projects and to avoid the sort of nimbyism we saw when even the Kennedy's were against a wind farm due to it being an "eyesore". That should not be a valid reason to oppose a wind project and by using only bird friendly turbines, we can mitigate a lot of the valid environmental concerns.

This is the wind project I referenced: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/7648857/US-approves-first-offshore-wind-farm-despite-Kennedy-opposition.html

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

To avoid the sort of nimbyism we saw when even the Kennedy's were against a wind farm due to it being an "eyesore". That should not be a valid reason to oppose a wind project.

I'm skeptical of this line of argument, too, but we should acknowledge that a mere eyesore can affect a region with an economy heavily based on tourism & recreation.

My previous objections have not been answered, so let me re-iterate that I will not vote for this bill as it is currently written.

Edited to fix a minor typo

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Requesting and granting a 24 hour extension to debate. I would like to hear more about this bill from its sponsors.

[Senator Napoleon]

We should heavily examine the environmental and economic effects before making any investment. I am also fine with lowering our investment threshold if desired but I think it is worth looking into some more.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Voting begins in 45 minutes, and will last for 24 hours or until all members have voted.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

The governor has requested that debate time be extended. As no members have yet voted, I request and grant a second 24 hour extension.

[Senator Napoleon]

Is this acceptable?

1) Immediately allow establishment of wind farms on the entire continental shelf of the Northeast region.
2) Only big, slow rotating windmills that don't kill birds will be allowed.
3) There must be a community consultation process prior to the construction of any wind power turbine, as well as a environmental impact study of the site and surrounding area. The results of these will determine whether or not the Northeast Department of Agriculture and the Interior approves the project.
 4) The state can take part ownership of projects up to 33% in order to help startups and companies wanting to share the risk. Profits realized from the endeavor will be shared with the state, with profit sharing being proportional to ownership.
5) The state will assist utilities in building transmission lines to transport this energy from the coast. Improvements to the existing grid shall be made to accomodate this increase in electricity production and to deliver it efficiently to population centers.
6) Funding for provisions 4 and 5 shall come from the Regional Gas Tax. No more than 50% of revenues collected from the Regional Gas Tax may be used for this law.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

I'm uncomfortable with the bill's first provision. We should set aside areas of ecological and economic importance.

But as I'm on board with the basic goals of this legislation, I'm willing to vote for it as it stands.

[Simfan34]

I would prefer more precise language in the second provision:

2) Turbines with speeds deemed harmful to avian life are prohibited.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

Deemed by whom?

[Simfan34]

The same people who would deem what a big slow windmill that didn't kill birds was.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

If we're editing for precise language, we may as well be thorough.

Actually, I'd prefer that this section be removed entirely unless we can produce evidence that the costs will not be prohibitive. The threat to birds that windmills pose is often overrated and misunderstood. Disruptions to migration patterns are a more significant problem than turbine collisions.

On that thought, I'll introduce a competing amendment:

2. The Northeast Geological Survey and the Northeast Department of Environmental Conservation will work in concert to map migratory bird routes. Windmills will be prohibited along migration paths deemed significant by the Northeast DEC.

[Senator Napoleon]

I am fine with this; but the Northeast has a Department of the Interior that handles environmental projects so that is why I went with that. I could appoint a Secretary of the Interior if I wanted to.

[Simfan34]

I withdraw my amendment in favor of that of Rep. Nix.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

As I'm unsure whether Napoleon's last post was an indication that the amendment is friendly, and debate time has expired, the Assembly will now vote on the amendment proposed by me:

2. The Northeast Geological Survey and the Northeast Department of Environmental Conservation will work in concert to map migratory bird routes. Windmills will be prohibited along migration paths deemed significant by the Northeast DEC.

Voting will last for 24 hours or until all members have voted. The governor may also deem the amendment friendly, in which case we'll proceed to voting on the final bill immediately.