Maine voters consider costs, climate in public utility amendment - Public News Service

Maine voters consider costs climate in public utility amendment / Public News Service

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Maine voters consider costs, climate in public utility amendment
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According to a poll by the Climate and Community Project, 55% of Mainers believe utilities should be nonprofits, and 60% said they've experienced a power outage in the past few months. (Adobe Stock)

Former President Barack Obama's administration had rejected the Dakota Access oil pipeline over concerns about the impact on tribal lands, but it was revived under the Trump administration. (Adobe Stock)

The Inflation Reduction Act tax credits that encourage investment in solar power are expected to help reduce energy costs by 22% over the next 30 years in Arizona. (Photo courtesy of Will Humble)

Residential solar power installations rose by 34% from 2.9 gigawatts in 2020 to 3.9 gigawatts in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

But some attendees were concerned about having to provide their testimony in an enclosed space without the rest of the audience hearing it.

Nicole Donaghy, executive director of North Dakota Native Vote, said that approach missed the mark.

"It does affect the audience's ability to hear the other side and to hear subjective testimony," said Donaghy, "hopefully hear something that they haven't thought of before regarding this pipeline."

The Corps changed the process for the last day, allowing people to speak in an open setting. But Donaghy noted attendance was smaller by then.

The agency did not respond to a request for comment.

The pipeline drew global attention over protests several years ago about potential environmental harm to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The pipeline is still operating as the latest permit is considered.

Among the options are to reroute the pipeline, keep it as is, remove sections of it, or abandon it.

Many tribal advocates call on federal officials to permanently halt Dakota Access. And Donaghy urged the Corps to be more accommodating before a decision is made.

"I would like the Army Corps to hold field hearings on the reservations," said Donaghy. "I would like for them to release the redacted information in the EIS."

She said not allowing the public to see certain details in the Environmental Impact Statement is another way to hinder how opinions are formed about the project.

December 13 is the current deadline for public input, with email and postal options still available.

State officials say the pipeline has operated safely so far, and big changes could result in lost revenue for North Dakota.

Disclosure: Dakota Resource Council and North Dakota Native Vote contribute to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environment, Housing/Homelessness, Livable Wages/Working Families, Native American Issues, Rural/Farming. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.

Arizona homeowners contemplating making the switch to solar energy could save substantially.

Those who install a solar system now through 2032 can receive a 30% tax credit that's been locked in through the Inflation Reduction Act. After that, the credit will decrease be a few percentage points a year.

Phoenix homeowner Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, transitioned to solar energy this year. Humble said he and his wife decided to make the switch not only for the eventual cost savings but to also help fight climate change.

"If we're ever going to do something about climate change, it's going to not just take government's taking action but individuals have to take action, too - number one, to get us some relief on our long-term utility bills, but also to feel like we are doing our part," he said. "I'm not just talking the talk, but we're going to walk the walk now, too."

The U.S. Department of Energy has projected that the expanded Solar Investment Tax Credit will help many households unlock an additional savings of $9,000 on their electricity bills over the life of the system. Without the tax incentives, Humble said, he could have expected an 11-year return on investment. But between the tax credit and projected utility savings, that period has been cut to about seven years.

Before making the switch, Humble said, he received assistance through a co-op known as Solar United Neighbors. The group organizes 50 to 100 neighbors to "go solar" together. Co-op members are then able to leverage bulk-purchasing power to get discounted pricing.

Humble called Solar United Neighbors the "key ingredient" in their decision-making process, "so that we didn't have to go cold call some people and come out to the house, and then make a choice that way. We had a co-op of people who went in together to get a favorable price from the contractor."

Humble said his system is currently overproducing electricity, which is being sold back to their utility provider. He's considering purchasing a battery to store the extra energy.

Residents in Bowling Green continue to push back against the Ohio city's tax on residential solar panels.

One couple has filed a takings-claim lawsuit against the city. In 2021 Bowling Green's Board of Utilities passed a law charging panel owners a monthly fee for every kilowatt of electricity produced into the system.

Leatra Harper, managing director of the Freshwater Accountability Project and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, and her husband argued the city is harming the return on their investment, more than $150,000 in rooftop solar and other green upgrades.

"There is no justification for this," Harper contended. "This disincentive for rooftop solar is harming everybody in Bowling Green that might have wanted to invest. So the very premise of what we were doing not only for climate change, but to at least pay back our upfront costs, was negated."

Harper pointed out they are now considering moving to a place without such fees. The city countered the tax is needed to help cover grid maintenance costs. A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found 8% of homeowners said they have already installed solar panels, and an additional 39% have given serious thought to it in the past year.

Jensen Silvis, Harpers' attorney, said the local government's tax on solar may be reducing residents' real estate value, and claimed property owners should be compensated for the loss.

"They've actually made it what we think is impossible for some people to sell their houses," Silvis asserted. "Because no one's going to want to buy a house in a city that has these installations on them. So a very nice property could be rendered worthless."

The federal government is ramping up incentives for clean energy. The Inflation Reduction Act passed last year by President Joe Biden included a 30% residential tax credit for clean energy upgrades installed on homes from 2022 through 2032, and an additional 10% for purchasing solar panels made in the U.S.

Disclosure: The Fresh Water Accountability Project contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environment, and Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.