The Great State of Florida has been on a merry-go-round the last two years in its debate over drilling for oil off it’s coastline and renewable energy mandates. Most people have an understanding of the big picture problem: One, we use too much of a finite resource, a resource that is substantially controlled by folks a long way away from us who don’t really see eye-to-eye with us on much of anything. Two, our economy is dependent on massive supplies of energy. Three, we keep our heads deep in the sand until some event forces us to look up, thus never really facing the energy reality of tomorrow.
The usual and customary event to get our worry beads going is gasoline price spikes. Let gas go up a dollar or so…as it has several times in the last few years and we all start wringing our hands and looking for solutions. During the spike we see editorials about car pooling, mass transit, finding more oil in America, alternative sources, etc. Gas prices go down…and back our heads go in the sand. End of story until the next event.
Our current ”event” is quite a doosie. Not a price spike but an oil rig explosion that has our worry beads working overtime. Who would have thought that with all the practice these oil boys get drilling, capping, drilling capping that they would have no clue about stopping 200,000 gallons of oil a day from escaping their rig? It seems it is all in Mother Nature’s hand now…where it goes, what it damages…whose economy it destroys.
So…our heads are out of the sand again and we are talking fast…what do we do? How can we prevent this from happening again? How do we produce clean energy? Let’s ban oil drilling by passing an amendment to the Florida Constitution. Really, can’t we do better than that?
Our elected leaders are all in a wad about having a special legislative session to put an amendment on the November ballot to “once and for all” prohibit oil drilling off the coast of Florida. Sounds noble. Of course, it is already the law of the State. But…a special legislative session might not be a bad idea…if…in addition to beating our chests, wringing our hands, vowing to get every nickle from BP, and considering ways to protect our shores…we also, for the first time, set into motion a renewable energy policy that gets Florida off square one and moving to become the renewable energy mega state that we rightfully should be.
The question is…how do we get all that done in a special session of one week. Not reasonable but we certainly could set the stage for ongoing work to get the job done. Here is what could be done in the session: One, make everyone feel better about the oil disaster by strengthening the statute forbidding drilling off our coast…but please, no amendment to Florida’s constitution. Two, craft a renewable energy bill that allows the free market to work in that segment of the energy business. Currently the law gives all power and glory to the regulated utility companies and prevents folks with capital and ideas from setting up shop in Florida to produce energy. Let’s change that ONLY for the renewables and see if opening the market (without mandates) will spur the production of renewable energy and the manufacture of the infrastructure and equipment to create a vibrant industry. No threat to the power companies, no big deal about changing current supply to those of us who like it when the lights come on.
Then…before and during the next regular session, let’s work to refine a long-term solution to Florida’s energy needs. One that respects the need for fossil fuel and nuclear, but looks forward to new sources of energy…that we control and that are much less threat to our environment. Critical to this work is a Senate champion, a House champion, and a Governor champion. Step up boys and girls, we need heros here and now.
If any State can pull this off, Florida can. We have all the raw materials needed to become the gold standard of renewable energy production. Let’s not waste this opportunity by making everyone feel better and accomplishing nothing for our future.
Let’s keep our heads out of the sand…forever.
Let’s be honest…Do you really think that the Florida Legislature could pass a renewable energy bill like that within a week? Pahlease. The power companies would never let that happen. We would be in a political stand still for days. This whole special session is a waste of money and a waste of time.
Love your idea for leveling the playing field for renewable energy. As for BP, enforcing existing laws would put them in the position of taking care of the causes of the majority of the accidents instead of paying settlements to families of workers killed, and now a huge spill,because of noncompliance.(infinitely cheaper, I’m told to pay fines and settlements) A few years ago the explosion at a nearby BP plant killed many. They paid large settlements to the survivors, as though that could compensate for the lives lost.Today the plant is still operating with much of the same faulty and uncorrected equipment that has created several “incidents” since then. Just how many infractions are tolerated before they are completely banned? An infinite number, apparently.