Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has a big opportunity to help Maine, and at the same time to reform our energy policy and influence the outcome of the US - and global - response to global climate change. If she supports the Kerry-Boxer bill, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, she wins, Maine wins, and America wins. The bill isn't perfect, but it's a big step in the right direction, and Senator Collins can be there to make that happen.
(Full disclosure: I am a Massachusetts resident, not a Maine resident.)
Where does Sen. Collins stand right now on the Kerry-Boxer bill? I called her DC office on Monday, and I was told that she has not yet issued a statement or publicly indicated her position on the bill, and she will be announcing a decision soon. In my previous Adopt-a-Senator diary on Sen. Collins, I assessed what her position might be based on past voting history and campaign promises, and her website is currently promoting offshore wind energy projects. To me, this all probably means she's still on the fence. That means it's time to help her make the right decision to support this bill...
So why should she support the bill? I want to outline how this is a win-win for Maine and the country. Throughout, you'll also see why this voting for it would be a win for Sen. Collins herself, fulfilling campaign promises and taking a leadership role on a big issue that affects everyone. It is imperative that we get as much support for this bill as possible; if you've been following the Adopt-a-Senator series you know that we can't count on overwhelming Senate support -- because there won't be.
How supporting this bill helps Maine
Back to Basics
In 2008, Sen. Collins promised to support energy reforms including better energy efficiency, which is important in a chilly state like Maine. This bill has things to help with that, but they can always be stronger. Improving energy efficiency is sometimes understated in its importance. Weatherizing homes and taking other steps to improve energy efficiency saves consumers money, it reduces emissions, and best of all it creates a lot of jobs. According to a UMass Amherst study released back in July (quoting my own summary here):
Weatherization [...] generates about 17.1 jobs per million dollars, far higher than the 5.3 jobs per million dollars from investing in fossil fuel job creation.
The new climate bill continues the work of the stimulus package, but it could do more. Sen. Collins represents a state that can always use some good weatherizing. Heck, I'm from Massachusetts, and we can use some, and it's not even as cold in my state for as long as it is in Maine. Maine will gain if Sen. Collins jumps on board and promotes energy efficiency.
The Maine Coast and its Resources
Maine has a long and beautiful coastline on the Atlantic. Even if rising ocean levels weren't so concerning for coastal states, Maine in particular has good reasons to connect its coastal resources to environmental issues. Two big benefits for Maine in focusing on renewable energy are the potential offshore wind and tidal energy projects. Senator Collins could take a leading role in promoting Maine as the place to launch an energy revolution. As some on this site have discussed, there will be no silver bullet for climate change and energy reform, but there are a lot of silver BBs, so to speak. Offshore wind energy and tidal energy are solid examples. By themselves, they aren't cure-alls, but they sure can help.
As a New Englander, in my mind, tidal energy has always been associated with the state of Maine, though it's certainly happened elsewhere. But right now Maine is still going strong with its development of the technology. Recently one such developer, the Ocean Renewable Power Company, cited a UMain Today magazine article which begins with this concise view of Maine's resources:
The power of waves crashing on Maine’s jagged coast has been captured in paintings and photographs for years. Now, it’s time to capture that energy to help alleviate the state’s dependence on fossil fuels.
The Gulf of Maine's Bay of Fundy, famous for its vast high- and low-tide differences, generates proportionally vast amounts of tidal energy... and maybe it's possible to harness a bit of that to turn it into power.
And tidal power generation is no fantasy idea...the UMaine article continues,
Tidal power is tapped by submerged turbines with foils that are turned by ocean currents, similar to the way that wind moves turbines on land. But before full commercialization occurs, researchers and developers need to fully understand all aspects of the project.
However, there's much more to be done and the article discusses how much research still needs to happen with tidal energy, especially regarding environmental impacts.
Offshore wind is the other big opportunity for Maine. Just last week, the US Dept. of Energy announced an $8 million grant to the University of Maine to help construct three new deepwater offshore wind platforms:
In a conference call which included the Gov. Baldacci and the Maine Congressional Delegation, [Energy] Sec. Chu said that "we need a new industrial revolution" to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and mitigate climate change. He noted that Maine presents "incredible opportunities" for generating electricity using wind, and praised the advances made by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at UMO, led by Dr. Habib Dagher.
$8 million is a start, and Sen. Collins has already done more (BDN link above):
The $8 million could grow to $13 million for the Advanced Structures and Composites Center if President Barack Obama signs an energy and water budget bill the Senate passed 80-17 Thursday afternoon and the House approved earlier. The bill includes a $5 million appropriation for the UMaine center secured by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriation Committee.
So why stop now? She's on a roll here and should keep it up by supporting the Kerry-Boxer bill. Clean energy is an area where Maine is already taking a leading role. To top it off, these will help meet her campaign targets for increased renewable power production from the sources she specifically cited.
From University of Maine Advanced Structures Composite Center/Bangor Daily News:"The total amount of power available in Maine through maximum use of deepwater floating technology is shown."
Jobs & Investment
With all this power generation potential in the state and the other parts of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, Maine stands to gain jobs and investment if the bill passes. An op-ed in The Maine Campus, the UMaine student paper, said:
We can create local prosperity and jobs with our new energy plans. Maine business leaders have started creating opportunities, such as University of Maine Professor and Advanced Engineering Wood Composites Director Habib Dagher’s plans for wind energy in the Gulf of Maine to power the equivalent of 40 nuclear power plants for our state. This past week, the EPA awarded Dagher an $8 million grant to begin developing his plan. This prospect and others are real and right outside our front door.
Once the ball gets rolling, investment will come as these projects look more feasible and more definite. This is one reason why the United Steelworkers of Maine just came out in support of the Kerry-Boxer bill and are urging Sen. Collins and Sen. Snowe to vote for it.
And already, beyond the wind and tidal projects, there are some great ideas gathering investment dollars already:
Using a proprietary process that involves chemicals, pressure, temperature and time, Fitzpatrick and his colleagues at Biofine Technology LLC say they've figured out how to turn what's essentially a sack of sawdust into heating and motor fuels, at a cost of roughly $2 a gallon.
[...]
Maine is the most forested state in the nation. It's the most dependent on imported petroleum for home heating. And it has a paper industry struggling to survive.
That makes for a natural fit: Set up commercial versions of the Gorham pilot plant next to paper mills. Use Maine's plentiful wood supply to kick petroleum. Create thousands of jobs building, operating and supplying the plants.
While that project isn't related to the climate bill, it goes to show the potential out there. In the words of a steelworker quoted in one of the above articles, this bill is "kind of a no-brainer" for the state of Maine.
How supporting this bill helps America (and the world)
Just briefly, I think it's important to remember that Sen. Collins has a role here where she can have a huge, positive impact on the whole country and the world. She's a United States Senator, and as a pivotal swing vote, she's not just a senator from any state, and that means she's one of the most powerful elected people in politics. As they say in Spider Man, "with great power comes great responsibility," and that really applies here. Senator Collins can bring a lot of the same benefits that would come to Maine to the rest of the country, which will be a big help in this lengthy recession that could continue for quite some time (in terms of joblessness). For the whole country and for the world, this climate bill would be a big step forward on trying to combat climate change and rising temperatures. She has a responsibility to continue voting for legislation that aims to do something about it. If current trends continue much longer, we'll see chronic crop failures (in the US, and not just faraway countries), conflict, fresh water shortages, catastrophic weather effects, rising sea levels, and general economic damage. History and the world will look back approvingly on those politicians who had the courage to fight for climate change legislation.
And I would be remiss not to mention that we'll be more secure in the US if we're relying on American energy sources and not foreign energy sources from countries that would otherwise be our international nemeses. It's hard not to want that.
The Kerry-Graham Compromise
Much has been made about the compromise proposed in the New York Times in an op-ed by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Whether or not you like the components of the proposal, it's out there and it's already having an impact. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who might not have supported the bill otherwise, has come out in support of the bill. It would be good if other Republicans could follow. If Senator Collins supports the bill, with the compromise, she won't be the only Republican, which means she will be shielded from some criticism from the rest of the party... this makes now the perfect time for her to come out in support of the bill. What's even better is that the sooner she announces support, the more positive influence she can have on the legislation, if she chooses. Potentially, that means she could improve the compromise to reduce some of the more problematic elements, and in the end, we'll get a better bill.
To capitalize on the momentum and urgency of this bill, if you are a resident of the great State of Maine, please call as soon as possible during office hours, though I realize this is a Friday and too late for that. So call next Monday, if you can.
Official Collins website:
(High-speed version)
(Low-speed version)
Collins DC Office
413 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone numbers:
* Washington, D.C. Office (202) 224-2523
* Augusta Office (207) 622-8414
* Bangor Office (207) 945-0417
* Biddeford Office (207) 283-1101
* Caribou Office (207) 493-7873
* Lewiston Office (207) 784-6969
* Portland Office (207) 780-3575