clean energy

Republicans deny science and deny climate change at their peril

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Martin Longman at the Political Animal blog takes a look at the recent European Union parliamentary elections and forecasts what they may portend for the U.S. election in 2020. He sees an invigorated youth vote turnout motivated by their desire to save the planet — and their future — from climate change. Europe’s Elections Have Warnings Signs … Read more

Earth Day: the Democratic presidential candidates positions on climate

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The New York Times Asked the 2020 Democrats About Climate Change (Yes, All of Them). Here Are Their Ideas. For Democrats vying to unseat President Trump, acknowledging climate change is easy. Deciding what to do about it is the hard part. The GOP response to climate change is Madd Magazine‘s Alfred E. Newman’s classic response: … Read more

Nominate “The Godfather of Solar” Bill Mundell for ACC

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I don’t have to tell you that there is an important election coming up in 2020. But there is one race that is often overlooked on the ballot – the corporation commissioners. The Arizona Corporation Commission wields great power in Arizona. The ACC functions as the fourth branch of Arizona state government. Commissioners make important decisions that affect Arizona residents – like regulating the utility companies. If you are an environmental advocate, you might want to pay special attention to the next election for the ACC. Their decisions influence how fast Arizona moves to clean energy.

It is important to do your homework and make sure that the ACC candidates you select represent you. This is especially vital because recent ACC members have been prosecuted for accepting dark money from the Arizona Public Service Electric Company (APS) to influence their vote.

Remember APS? APS spent 38 million dollars of their customers’ money to affect the outcome of Prop 127. Former commissioner Kristin Mayes suggested that we make it illegal for utility companies to spend money to influence elections. That is something we really should work on. Meanwhile, let’s support candidates who won’t be accepting dark money from them.

Consider signing Bill Mundell’s nomination petition for the AZ Corporation Commission. He is running again and is very pro-solar.

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Democratic Candidates for LD10 House Shine in Drive to Oust Clodfelter

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LD10 Democratic candidates.jpg
Left to right, candidates Kirsten Engel, Domingo DeGrazia, Nikki Lee and Catherine Ripley

Democrats have four impressive candidates for the Arizona House in Legislative District 10 in eastern Tucson, united in their effort to oust Republican incumbent, Todd “Confederate” Clodfelter.

  • UofA Law Professor Kirsten H. Engel is running for a second term in the AZ House, after serving on the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and Judiciary and Public Safety committee.
  • Newcomer Domingo DeGrazia, son of famous Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia, is a licensed pilot and a trial attorney in juvenile court. “I have a constant drive to better myself, creativity and tenacity to see a fight through to the end,” he says.
  • Catherine Ripley is a retired 26-year Navy officer and current political science teacher at Pima College (and earlier at Harvard, Boston University, and M.I.T.). In her first run for office, she says, “I’m a former diplomat, Mom, and business executive. I’ve seen famine and war. I’m here to bring my skills and experiences, and have the tools to hand Todd Clodfelter a defeat he’ll never forget.”
  • Running as a Clean Elections Candidate, newcomer Nikki Lee has a young campaign team of Millennials, including herself at age 36. “We have so much excitement on our campaign, doing innovating things, understanding the life of young people.”  She has  launched the “A to Z podcast” for young people.

LD10 has two AZ House members and one Senator, David Bradley, who was on hand and running without opposition. Clodfelter is notorious for his Confederate Flag screen saver, which he claimed wasn’t racist. His signature legislation throws a meager $150 tax credit at teachers to cover school supplies rather than help them in any meaningful way.

If you could pass one bill…

Asked if they could pass only one bill in the Republican-majority House, the candidates said it would be to:

Engel: End the hundreds of corporate sales tax loopholes and use the money to fund public schools.

DeGrazia: Stop gun violence.

Lee: Help veterans recover from PTSD and brain injuries.

Ripley: Enact common-sense gun policy, including a ban on bump stocks.

If you could reverse one law…

Asked what law or bill they would want to stop, the candidates said:

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President Obama announces ‘Clean Power Plan’

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President Obama  released the final version of the EPA’s “Clean Power Plan” today. GET THE FACTS; Fact Sheet: President Obama to Announce Historic Carbon Pollution Standards for Power Plants.

The New York Times reports, Obama Unveils Plan to Sharply Limit Emissions:

carbon-emissionsPresident Obama on Monday unveiled an aggressive plan to sharply limit greenhouse gases emitted by the nation’s power plants, declaring that time was running out to thwart the most dangerous impacts of global climate change.

“No challenge poses a greater threat to our future and future generations than a changing climate,” Mr. Obama said in a speech from the East Room of the White House as he announced his most ambitious action to date to tackle the planet’s rising temperatures. “There is such a thing as being too late when it comes to climate change.”

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