Brookfield7

All content, of both the original Brookfield7.com and this blog, is written from my point of view and is my opinion. I believe it to be accurate at the time it is written. ~ Kyle Prast, Brookfield resident since 1986

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Follow the money: Why are Potawatomis pushing Clean Energy Jobs Act?

While driving home yesterday, I heard the Potawatomi's latest ad supporting the Clean Energy Jobs Act. I don't know why I didn't think of it before, but it came to me, why are they pushing this so? In other words, if we follow the money--what is in it for them? Would they maybe be leasing land for windmills?

I emailed radio talk show hosts Vicki McKenna and Jay Weber when I came home to see if they knew. (Didn't hear back.) Later on, I Googled for some info and found this surprise:

"DOE [Department of Energy] Awards $20.5 Million in Recovery Funds for Five Community Renewable Energy Projects: U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu on January 21st announced the selection of five projects to receive more than $20.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support deployment of community-based renewable energy projects, such as biomass, wind and solar installations." ...

..."Forest County Potawatomi Tribe (Forest County, WI)
The Forest County Potawatomi Tribe proposes to implement an integrated renewable energy deployment plan that will provide heating, cooling and electricity for the Tribe’s governmental buildings, displacing natural gas and propane. The renewable energy installations will include: a 1.25 MW biomass combined heat and power facility that will provide heating, cooling and electricity; a biogas digester and 150 kW generation facility; three 100 kW wind turbines (788,400 kWh/year); and three dual-axis 2.88 kW solar PV panels (14,000 kWh/yr) located at the Tribe’s Governmental Center. DOE share: $2,500,000"

I sent that link to Vicki and Jay* last night along with more questions. "What I don't get is that if they have this [money] coming, why do they need the state to pass the clean energy jobs act?...Or do they need the state to do it to get their money?"

Vicki McKenna confirmed my suspicions, in fact, she opened her radio show today with this very subject regarding The Forest County Potawatami's push for clean energy! (Vicki said she got a lot of email on this subject yesterday.)

Listen for yourself on the podcasts for Vicki McKenna's Show Friday, Feb. 12 Hour 1 Part 1 and Part 2.

The Potawatomi's latest ad starts out with something about, Ever see an oil well in Wisconsin? Coal mine? Gas field?...a woman answers, no. Then it touts using wind, solar, and biomass to keep our money here.

Regarding expanding wind, solar and biomass would keep the money here... Vicki said came from a press release from the Department of Energy.

We now know they are getting $2.5 million in STIMULUS money to install these very things at the tribe governmental center. (The DOA piece stated there would be an additional $167 million from local government and private funding sources for the 5 selected projects, of which Potawatomi is one.)

Vicki had this to add, they [the tribe] will work with Focus on Energy to secure additional grants so they can be a bigger player in Wisconsin's energy future. They want to provide carbon free energy and self sufficiency for the tribe and potential green energy sales from Wisconsin and reservation based sources.

Ahhh, now I get it. They get freebie STIMULUS money from us, the taxpayers, to put in the green energy wind, solar, and biomass based electricity producers and then turn around and sell this expensive energy to us, the taxpayers in Wisconsin.

The Potawatomis will get money from what they are saying we should support in their clean energy ads. Seems a disclaimer is in order?

If you haven't called the key State Senators, you still have a chance before this is voted on. Senator Jim Sullivan (866) 817-6061 Remind State Senator Sullivan that he is facing a tough reelection race this fall from Rep. Leah Vukmir.

Senator Jeff Plale Co-sponsor of the bill, (608) 266-7505 Campaigned on a tax freeze and as a moderate to help blue collar workers.

Senator John Lehman (608) 266-1832 Or (866) 615-7510 Like Sullivan, he is facing a tough reelection.

Find your State Legislator

The last public hearing is Monday, Feb. 15th at 10am.

Sign the petition: Save Jobs! Stop the Global Warming Bill!

UPDATE: Feb. 16th WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? report by Rep. Jim Ott: "Monday [Feb 15th] was the last scheduled public hearing on Governor Doyle’s global warming bill. There are two identical versions of the bill, AB 649 in the Assembly and SB 450 in the Senate. What comes next? The committee chairs will bring the bills into an executive session, where the bills will be voted on and possibly amended. If the bills pass in committee, they may be brought before the full Legislature for a vote.
I would expect the bills to pass if committee votes were held today, given the comments made by committee members throughout the public hearings. Most likely, each Democrat would vote yes."




*Jay Weber might have talked about this before I tuned in this morning.


Links: Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, RandyMelchert, Jay Weber, Vicki McKenna, The Right View Wisconsin, CNS News, Mark Levin, Breitbart BigGovernment, The Heritage Foundation

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