I went up to Skip’s Gun shop on Saturday to conduct some business and as always, Skip and I spent a few moments talking politics and he mentioned that a bill that he is the prime sponsor on is coming up for hearing tomorrow. This normally would be taking place in one of the usual hearing rooms but given the outcry of people, especially in Grafton County where foreign companies are trying to put up multi-million dollar windmills, the hearing has been shifted to the Hall of Representatives at 1pm (again, tomorrow!). Several hundred people are expected to attend.
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT establishing moratoriums on wind turbine plants and electric transmission line projects.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Moratoriums; Wind Turbine Plants; Electric Transmission Line Projects. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, there are hereby established moratoriums on the construction of wind turbine plants and electric transmission line projects in the state of New Hampshire until the state issues a comprehensive energy plan. The site evaluation committee, established in RSA 162-H:3, shall issue no certificates for wind turbine plants and electric transmission line projects under RSA 162-H while such moratoriums are in effect.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Think of this, however; the local community in which they will be built is probably rubbing their hands in glee – ” look at all that new property tax revenue!”. But what is the downside? I can think of one, certainly!
For the last year, all we have heard is doom and destruction from the windmillers if the wind energy production 2% tax credit was not renewed – which was pretty much bunkum. If you are in the energy business, how much sense does it make to tie your business model to a tax rather than to the general marketplace? I have said it over and over again here on the ‘Grok – this already happened back in the 80s when renewable energy manufacturers sold their wares touting all of the tax credits homeowners could reap if they “only buy today!”
Tax credit ran out and so did all those manufacturers – you think I could find anyone to fix my solar hot water system afterwards?
Go out to some of the passes in California and behold! Thousands of windmills no longer spinning generating all that ‘free energy’, The wind was free but the cost of maintaining the turbines themselves was not and in fact, exceeded the cost of the energy they created. Think the big housing crash when the owners simply walked away from their upside down homes – and that is part of what is driving this bill.
