MooPig Tech Coroner :: "Renewable Energy"

Pedantic Walk through Development of Land and Renewable Energy
by Pat Darnell  |  Jan 2, 2014  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK] Boondoggle

Land development is the key to the future of almost every walk of life. If it goes awry, or starts to cost too much, many institutions feel a dramatic decline. Banks cannot move land they acquire in debt resolutions, or foreclosures. Investment groups cannot get return on their dollars as soon as they planned. Growing families must put off long term investing if suddenly development of land and resources is too expensive.

It turns out the US Government surprisingly provides subsidies for all these kinds of developments, including money to develop new energy sources. But the US Government does not provide subsidies for Environmental Impact Reports.

Reason Foundation - Out of Control Policy Blog and How Federal Regulations Get in the Way of Renewable Energy Development: "A paper recently released by the Mercatus Center, examines the extent in which federal regulations adversely impacted this relatively small scale renewable energy project in Utah. "Although it is tempting to point to one specific regulation as the root cause of today's impediments to small hydro-power development, a federal nexus of regulation is the real problem," the Mercatus Center paper, written by Utah-based authors, states. Even after receiving the stimulus grant (which covered half of the projected $1.4 million dollars needed for the project) the projected benefits from the project will be insufficient to meet its costs.  "

'via Blog this'

Renewable energy may be an idea that is dead on arrival. That is, federal regulations make it near impossible to start up any renewable energy processes. "...Leave it to the federal government to provide billions of dollars in subsidies promoting renewable energy projects, while also requiring municipalities implementing those projects to navigate a federal regulatory web so onerous that it discourages any future renewable energy project undertakings. (Victor Nava. December 19, 2013. LINK) ..."

I remember the 1970's through the 80's, there suddenly appeared "Environmental Impact Reports" requirements for especially land development. Land developing became too expensive for the average developer. The cost of producing an "Environmental Impact Report" added at least an extra half-million dollars to the development costs.

Developers could only manage to break even on their projects with the new regulation. Often the Reports would disclose some sort of environmental obstacle that the developer would have to deal with. Only government jobs could get the backing in these cases. Around Houston land developing was hindered, and many development groups had to "re-group."

In developments today, for instance, " ... Different environmental groups, citizens, and politicians have raised concerns about the potential negative impacts of the Keystone XL project ... " Groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Lincoln, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman will issue statements that if regarded add cost to the construction of the XL Tar Sands Pipeline.

CONCLUSION
Government has provided Americans with a two headed ax. It turns out that government subsidies are available for alternative energy start ups, but also there are too many governmental regulations on development of any of those alternatives. Who will straighten this all out?

For the past five years, our Legislature has not done anything to help the boondoggle of dumping subsidy money, then spending that money on its own regulations. The present government would rather dally around with creationism, abortion, and tall tales.

In the comments you might enlighten us to some group who is developing energies and land all the right way in the USA, but to our knowledge this growing impediment to developments is a pedantic walk through an abysmal activity that is wasteful and pointless that only gives the appearance of having value.

____________Reference
http://reason.org/blog/show/how-federal-regulations-get-in-the
http://www.governor.nebraska.gov/news/2011/11/15_pipline.html
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/tarsandssafetyrisks.asp
http://sierranebraska.org/energy/xl-pipeline/