With increasing levels of incredulity I've been skimming the crush of press releases and articles quoting a few fringe environmentalists regarding the energy bill. The common thread in such statements is a condemnation of provisions that provide financial incentives to the energy industry to increase capacity and develop and utilize advanced technologies.
They decry the "waste" of taxpayer money.
So I ask:
Is it a waste to invest in a diverse energy portfolio that limits our dependence on any one generation source and thus supports national security?
Is it a waste to support developing technologies that will decrease polluting emissions and increase security and safety? And as an aside, I will repeat a fact that extremists often exclude; Every energy technology receives research and development support from the federal government.
Is it a waste to ensure that the generation capacity is available to support our growing population and economy?
The recent heat wave in large sw…