Man Bites Dog

Even environmentalists are complaining about excessive regulation in California!

The environmental publication Grist, today has a piece about why California has fallen behind in the race to be the nation’s wind energy leader. The report lists all of the usual factors: lack of transmission capacity, birds, expensive real estate, etc., but it contains some pretty notable gripes that seem more at home in the Wall Street Journal than in Grist:

“Regulations, well-developed through the years, make it hard for developments to get off the ground.”

“…Texas provides property-tax exemptions to people with windmills on their land, California does not.”

“…wind could supply 20 percent of California's energy needs by 2020 -- up from less than 2 percent today. That sounds like the stuff of dreams. A more realistic goal may be catching Texas…”

Less regulation? Tax breaks for corporations? Wind energy potential is over-stated? Wow, who knew?

The Long and Windy Road [Grist]