A committee of the North Carolina House of Representatives voted 11-10 this week to advance a bill that would cap North Carolina’s renewable energy mandate. John Locke Foundation staff members have devoted much of their attention to the topic this week.
Director of Regulatory Studies Jon Sanders discussed problems associated with the mandate during an appearance on News 14 Carolina’s statewide “Capital Tonight” program and during radio interviews with Lockwood Phillips on WTKF and Matt Mittan on WZGM/WHKP. Sanders wrote about the mandate for WRAL’s Techwire Web page. He discussed the topic with Chapel Hill’s Daily Tar Heel. NCPoliticalNews.com promoted Sanders’ latest research on renewable energy mandates. A Carteret County News-Times editorial quoted him on the related topic of wind power.
In addition to Sanders’ work on renewable energy mandates, Vice President for Outreach Becki Gray attracted attention from N.C. Senate Republicans in their daily press email with a column urging repeal of the state mandate. The Senate GOP also promoted a new Beacon Hill Institute analysis rebutting claims of economic benefits associated with renewable energy subsidies, along with Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson‘s report on this week’s close legislative committee vote. CJ Publisher Jon Ham completed a JohnLocke.org page devoted to issues surrounding the renewable energy mandate.
In other research news, the Kinston Free Press quoted Sanders in an article on payday lending. Triangle Business Journal quoted Health and Human Services Policy Analyst Katherine Restrepo in an article about Gov. Pat McCrory’s Medicaid reform plan.
The Heartland Institute interviewed Director of Research and Education Studies Terry Stoops for an article about a school voucher bill. The Fayetteville Observer noted JLF recommendations on auto insurance reform. NCPoliticalNews.com promoted a new report prepared for JLF on North Carolina’s transportation priorities.
