view from the states
Policy Shifts: Where the States Are Headed
The shift in political power following the November elections
may threaten solar and wind policies in key states. Here’s
what’s happening.
Compiled by Mike Koshmrl, Assistant Editor
Iowa
Four years ago former Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, created
the Iowa Power Fund, which provides matching grants and
loans for new renewable energy projects. the Power fund has
helped grow iowa’s wind market into the nation’s second largest. new gov. terry Barnstad, a republican, campaigned against
the fund, telling the Sioux City Journal it was a “colossal failure”
and the $25 million budget should be reallocated to reducing
taxes. more recently Barnstad reversed course, saying that he
expects the Power fund to continue under the management of
a different department. at press time, the program’s fate hung
in the balance. the state’s renewable energy community is
skeptical. “we think it’s highly unlikely the Barnstad administration extends [the Power fund],” says steve fugate, managing
director of the iowa renewable energy association.
New Mexico
one of the first moves for Republican Gov. Susana Martinez was to fire every member of the state’s Environmental
Improvement Board. martinez alleged that the board promoted “anti-business” policies. the same week the new governor appointed harrison schmitt, an outspoken climate change
skeptic, to run new mexico’s energy, minerals and natural
resources Department. martinez also halted a new greenhouse
gas emissions regulation that had been passed in the closing
days of former gov. Bill richardson’s administration. the regulation was later reinstated by the state supreme court. “we currently have common sense, balanced approaches to protecting
our environment,” says sanders moore of environment new
mexico. “we need to maintain the protections and safeguards
that are in place.”
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s solar and wind economies are booming, driven
by a robust renewable portfolio standard, the statewide
Focus on Energy program and a number of municipal incentive programs. in milwaukee, the number of solar installers has
increased 250 percent since the beginning of 2009. the state’s
wind capacity is up to 630 megawatts — nearly 90 percent of
which has come online since mid-2008. But new gov. scott
walker’s support of renewable energy is unproven. During his
campaign, walker criticized tom Barrett, his Democratic opponent, for supporting “a radical environmental agenda that will
cost us jobs.” after taking office, walker turned down $810
million in federal stimulus funds to build a train line from milwaukee to madison. then, in his first executive order, walker
proposed a regulatory reform that would prohibit developers from siting a wind turbine within 1,800 feet of the nearest
property line. “when you’re operating with setback distances
this extreme, a lot of projects will cease to be economically
feasible,” says michael vickerman, executive director of renew
wisconsin. “it’s a shooting war right now. whole businesses
could shut down.”
