As I write this post, the renewable energy committee of the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) is hearing presentations on wind power.

If
you are not familiar with the EMC (like 99.9% of North Carolinians), it
is the commission that adopts the environmental regulations for the
state–not exactly an unimportant role.

Here is the “balanced” list of presenters:

Mr. Larry Shirley
NC State Energy Office
 
Mr. Sam Watson
NC Utilities Commission
 
Ms. Blayne Gunderman      
Acciona Energy  

Ms. Erin Kimrey
NC Conservation Network         

Mr. Paul Quinlan
NC Sustainable Energy Association

______________ 

BTW: Acciona Energy is the largest wind farm developer in the world.   

The
question that needs to be asked is why the committee even needs
presenters–it clearly already has made up its mind on wind power as
evidenced by the list of these presenters.   

It is bad
enough that the EMC in many ways works in the shadows, but at least it
could make an effort to take wind power and renewable energy issues
seriously enough so that it considers perspectives that don’t just come
from a wind power developer, envrionmental groups, and other wind power
proponents. 

Is there any question as to why North
Carolinians have such little respect for the state government? 
This meeting demonstrates everything that is wrong: poor public notice
of the meeting, special interest presentations, and apparently
commissioners whose minds have been made up.

I hope this
meeting was just a fluke.  The renewable energy committee could
easily redeem itself by making an effort to stay open-minded and
immediately hear from presenters with different perspectives.