Little Rhody has the opportunity to be a big leader for sustainability. There are several bills on the table this legislative session that span a range of energy issues. These policies were highlighted this past week at People’s Power & Light’s (PP&L) 14th Annual Meeting.
Community members and industry professionals gathered at the meeting to hear from Rhode Island officials, including Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Office of Energy Resources Commissioner Dr. Marion Gold, Senator Susan Sosnowski, and Representative Deborah Ruggiero. In The Attorney General’s words, “PP&L is a pro-clean energy group, an inexpensive energy group, a group that wants to help disseminate power to those that need it most.”
The Renewable Energy Standard (RES) and the Renewable Energy Growth program (REG) have proven successful over the years and now they have the potential to be extended. These policies work in concert: the RES creates a demand for increased renewables in our electricity supply, and the REG supplies renewable energy via in-state projects. Together these mandates effectively reduce harmful greenhouse gas emission and increase local, sustainable jobs.
Both the RES and REG were part of the Senate’s 2016 “Grow Green Jobs RI” package which included several targeted policy recommendations. Senator Sosnowski opened the program by reminding attendees that, “Improving our environment goes hand in hand with improving our economy”. Indeed, investing in our natural resources and clean energy reduces future costs associated with climate change.
“Adapting to the challenges presented by rising temperatures and rising seas also presents opportunities for job growth in areas such as renewable energy, including newer renewable energy businesses such as those in bio-fuels and off-shore wind”, Sosnowski continued.
Representative Ruggiero is the lead sponsor in the House of both the RES and the REG bills, H-7413 and H-7473 respectively. At the podium, she reflected on the progress to pass the slate of critical renewable energy policies 10 years ago. Now we’re faced with the need to make big improvements in Rhode Island again. “I love it when environmentalists, policy makers, and developers can collaborate and come up with economic policy and environmental policy” she shared.
“We cannot do what we do in the legislature without advocacy” Rep Ruggiero emphasized, and encouraged attendees to contact their elected officials to support the RES and RES extension.
Attorney General Kilmartin recently joined a coalition of 17 AGs who are investigating Exxon Mobil. There are concerns that the fossil fuel industry had prior knowledge of the detrimental effects of their practices and yet continued to mislead consumers and exacerbate the impacts of climate change.
Attorney General Kilmartin explained, “Corporate America, regardless of the industry, should not be able to go out and misinform the American public.”
Many are equating the practices of the fossil fuel industry to the fight against Big Tobacco for their fraudulent denial of wrongdoing. Exxon Mobil has been identified as one of the major companies to be investigated following reports from several news organizations.
The General went on, “Lawsuits like this, and advocacy by groups like People’s Power & Light, are what will bring about the changes that we need to hold people accountable, to ensure that we have a safe environment, and to ensure that our children and our grandchildren…will be able to enjoy that as we are today.”
The event ended with OER Commissioner Gold highlighting a range of programs to make Rhode Island greener, such as expanding electric vehicles or growing the solar industry. She referenced the recently released “Rhode Island Clean Energy 2016 Industry Report” which documented at 40% increase in clean energy employment in the past year alone. Commissioner Gold cited the RES and REG as key agents to achieve that job growth. Whether it’s statewide legislative mandates or simply changing your light bulbs to LEDs, the Commissioner advised, “We all have the ability to do something that can really make a difference”.
PP&L maintains that the RES and the REG make the biggest difference for our local economy and environment in Rhode Island. The RES is set to cap in 2019, so extending it now is essential to demonstrate that our state is committed to a renewable energy future.
Representative Ruggiero perhaps summed it up best: “From an economic point, the clean energy sector has been a huge bright spot in this state’s economy.”
The legislative session isn’t over; help us pass these critical policies for Rhode Island!
The good news is both the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) and the Renewable Energy Growth program (REG) have passed on the Senate side. Now we need the House to pass these key policies.
The bad news is the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) is in jeopardy. You can read PP&L’s letter to House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello encouraging him to support the House bill 7413.
Remember: the best messages are in your own words.
Finally, you can follow updates and progress on these issues by visiting our new advocacy page: www.ripower.org/advocacy.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the bills or these issue by emailing kat@ripower.org or calling 401-861-6111.
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