South Carolina wisely decided that a non-renewable energy source (nuclear) cannot be classified as renewable, and “Young Jeff Davis” (okay, McConnell’s not so young) is leading a charge to help people like me use less power.  And I’m sad that Ben Hagood is retiring from the House.

Courtesy of the Coastal Conservation League…

Reasonable Compromise Reached in Defining Renewable Energy Resources
Thanks to the leadership of Representative Ben Hagood (R-Charleston), this week the House agreed in a 114-0 vote that “nuclear” should not be defined as a renewable energy resource. Now the state will only recognize solar photovoltaic energy, solar thermal energy, wind power, hydroelectric, geothermal energy, tidal energy, recycling, hydrogen fuel derived from renewable resources, biomass energy, and landfill gas as renewable energy resources.

The State Energy Policy was also amended to require South Carolina “to encourage the development and use of nuclear energy as well as indigenous, renewable energy resources” and “to ensure that any future energy strategy that promotes carbon-free, nongreenhouse gas emitting sources include nuclear energy and renewable energy resources.” The Conservation League and our allies prevented having nuclear energy classified as “renewable.” We believe the compromise language is innocuous and will not result in energy choice biases regarding nuclear power. Further, we are pleased with the language that promotes carbon-free sources. S.360 now goes to the Senate for its approval, which could occur as early as next Tuesday. Click here to thank your Representative and to see a list of the amendment’s sponsors.
Energizing the Future
Key Senate leaders joined Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston) at a press conference Wednesday to announce the introduction of S.1076, which would create a private, non-profit fund to assist low-income South Carolinians with reducing their energy consumption. “Do we wait until we reach a crisis or do we take positive steps to ensure that our energy sources remain plentiful and affordable,” asked Senator McConnell. “It’s a quality-of-life issue. It’s about our state. It’s about jobs. It’s about our environment. It’s about our citizens.”

Key legislators have been working with the conservation community, investor-owned utilities, Santee Cooper and the electric cooperatives to build support for a package of energy efficiency bills that will go along way to will help South Carolinians become more energy efficient.  The full legislative package should be introduced in both the House and Senate within the next week.

One to Watch:
H. 3202, by Representative Brian White(R-Anderson) and others, proposes to amend the South Carolina Constitution to acknowledge that hunting, trapping and fishing is a valued part of South Carolina’s heritage and shall be forever preserved for the people.  The House approved this resolution, and it is now before the Senate.