22 Sep Making the Transition to Clean Energy is Cheaper than Doing Nothing

Good morning!
Tomorrow night is Austin Energy’s Town Hall Meeting on its future energy plan. It is really important that we create together a strong turnout at this meeting — 6-830 PM at City Hall because fears are being evoked about clean energy.
Two items appeared this week in the Austin American-Statesman that require the response of everyone who wants to roll back from global warming and wants to breathe clean air in Austin.
Check out Representative Eddie Rodriguez’ excellent response (below) to the 9/18 Op Ed by Monsignor Mulvey and add your own comments to the Op Ed here –http://tinyurl.com/n3rf6l
Or submit a letter to the editor – http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/feedback/lettersubmit.html
Thank you. And I would LOVE to see you at the Austin Energy Town Hall meeting on Wed. Sept. 23 at 6 PM! Hope you can come out!
Donna
PS Remember to keep your comments and letters positive! – Here is what our Generation Task Force members Cyrus Reed, Sierra Club and Mike Sloan, PowerSmack are recommending –
We want to look at phasing out Fayette by 2014 because of the serious health and environmental problems and costs associated with coal. The City’s own analysts have found that we can move to renewables at less cost than doing nothing because because coal and natural gas costs are expected to continue to rise. We can do this through aggressively expanding our energy efficiency programs (1000 negawatts) for the maximum benefit to low income Austinites and we can increase wind (1000 megawatts) and solar (500-1000 megawatts).

From Representative Eddie Rodriguez –
Dear Friends:

On Friday, the Austin American-Statesman carried a troubling op-ed by Monsignor W. Michael Mulvey. Monsignor Mulvey suggested, on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Austin, that Austin Energy delay implementation of its climate plan because, if fully implemented, it would increase utility costs for low-income utility users in Austin.

Today, the Statesman printed a follow-up article which included the perspective of Leona Morgan, an 86-year-old, low-income Austin Energy customer who would not be able to afford a substantial increase in her energy bill.

The Catholic Diocese raises a very important issue, one that I’ve been addressing for some time. There are many low- and middle-income people who believe protecting the environment is not only critical—it’s the right thing to do. They want to be a part of the solution and know that they, and generations to come, will reap the rewards of responsible energy and environmental initiatives. However, they can’t afford costly improvements to their own homes, nor can they afford large increases in their energy bills to cover the costs of implementing larger renewable energy efforts.

“Energy Justice” is the term used to talk about how to take swift and significant steps to protect the environment while at the same time ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens are not disproportionately affected. Energy justice is what I’m working toward.

As a Catholic, an Austin Energy customer, someone who cares about the environment and a legislator who represents a largely low-income constituency, I think it’s critical that we address this issue. But I also think that the suggestion that Austinites must choose between affordable energy and protecting the poor presents a false choice.

As a State Representative I advocate in every way I can on behalf of my low-income constituents. I also advocate that Austin, and all of Texas, must move toward the maximum possible use of renewable energy. My experience tells me that with thoughtful planning by Austin Energy, and important input from low-income energy customers, the faith community, policymakers and other stakeholders, we can achieve energy justice in Austin. My faith tells me we must.

Eddie