EDITORIAL: Environmentalists and energy - Opinion

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Aug. 22, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

EDITORIAL: Environmentalists and energy

Who often blocks alternative energy projects? Radical greens

The sunny predictions that came from this week's National Clean Energy Summit at UNLV largely ignored the dark clouds hovering above the Cox Pavilion. (No, they didn't come from a coal-fired power plant.)

They represented the handful of environmental extremist groups that are all for a renewable revolution, as long as it doesn't involve the construction of wind turbines (they might kill birds), solar power arrays (they take up too much land and displace threatened bugs and rodents) or transmissions lines (they ruin scenic views), and as long as it doesn't allow this country's metropolitan areas to grow larger.

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This loyal faction of the Democratic Party's base is using laws and regulations championed by the left to obstruct liberals' single biggest policy goal: decreasing the country's use of fossil fuels and increasing its reliance on alternative energy. Organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity have sued to block various "clean" energy projects for all the reasons listed above, and had, prior to this week, showed no interest in playing nice with their ambitious, progressive pals.

Renewable energy is already significantly more expensive to generate and deliver than coal- and gas-fired electricity -- litigation makes it even more costly.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who helped organize the conference, brought some good news to a Wednesday luncheon with Review-Journal journalists. He said the Sierra Club was "on board" with his plan to spur the development of wind, solar and geothermal power generation across unpopulated areas and transmit the electricity to population centers.

"They're being reined in," Sen. Reid said of the environmental extremists, adding that he would publicly condemn environmental groups that try to stop renewable energy projects with frivolous litigation "if I thought it would help."

We wish we could share the senator's confidence. The Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity, in particular, views no minnow or insect as less important than the human race.

It's ironic that this organization and other groups claim human-caused global warming will bring about the extinction of thousands of species over the next century, but they still work to kill renewable energy projects -- that could, in theory, abate the damage -- if they threaten a single weed.

Of course, the global-warming scare is simply a means to consolidate government power and impose more top-down control over the everyday lives of citizens. And replacing coal-fired power plants with renewable technologies would triple or quadruple the average household's electricity bill.

But Sen. Reid's promise is a start. We'll hold him to it.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Report abuse Jon H. wrote on August 22, 2008 05:16 PM: Steven R. Can you provide any links that would help us understand your position on Legalism, and your other most recent . . . ideas? Wiki might be not the best source, but let's face it a Google search didn't provide any alternatives. Perhaps you can help us out with a few links to help us out. Report abuse Steven R wrote on August 22, 2008 02:20 PM: Is our existing Law (and you need to discover that it is all COMMERCIAL!) anywhere near any semblance of any past Ecclesiastical following? Because of the FACETIOUS nature of rebuttal or addition to Rusty, I simply stated that Our new religion is Legalism. Try and do anything in this Nation or World for that matter which relegates from "common sense." Jon: And instead of seeking wiki, try doing some research as to how we got to this mess we refer to as the Law. Try finding some actual information as to the effect the COUNTRY of ROME (aka the Vatican) has had on our everyday lives. The Law Merchant derives from or equals Cannon Law. As history has shown many have died because of "Established Religion." I don't know if my argument, as you state, is actually that. I've found that we have been misled into thinking that the Law IS FINAL, considering that it is so CONTRADICTORY! I commend you on your reference to socialism, as we are under a form of socialism now, referred to as "Democracy," A SMALL GROUP (congress), TELLING EVERYONE ELSE WHAT TO DO! DEMON OCRACY or MOBOCRACY. Remember Jon We used to be a "REPUBLIC," whereas the elected used to have to check with us on matters that would initially have consequences toward the people. Do we follow any type of Common Law (common sense) or anything that might be construed as to relating to "The 10 Commandments? The bottom line is that our new IDOL has become the "DOLLAR!" Rusty: Yes, we have been told that our "air & water" is cleaner but you might want to check with folks who still check their water cisterns and tables, privately as well as those that look skyward. Believe the govment? I THINK NOT! Report abuse Jon H. wrote on August 22, 2008 01:25 PM: Steven R, I find the following definition for legalism from - wiki: "Legalism, in Christian theology, is a pejorative term referring to an over-emphasis on law or codes of conduct, or legal ideas, usually implying an allegation of misguided rigor, pride, superficiality, the neglect of mercy, and ignorance of the grace of God or emphasizing the letter of law over the spirit. Legalism is alleged against any view that obedience to law, not faith in God's grace, is the pre-eminent principle of redemption. Its opposite error is antinomianism, which is alleged against a view that moral laws are not binding." Is this the context you are using for the term "legalism" from which you are making your argument? Or, is there another definition or context that you use for the term . . . legalism. I just want to make certain that I am understanding your arguments. Report abuse rustyrosco wrote on August 22, 2008 12:51 PM: Diogenes: The only thing missing from your global warming argument is actual warming. 2008 is turning into a very cool year. Steven R. My point exactly. Don't you think your statement "there aren't any FREAKING TREES or PLANTS!" is a tad on the alarmist side? Air and water are much cleaner than they were 50 years ago and will continue to. Report abuse The Dark Side wrote on August 22, 2008 12:24 PM: Thankfully there still exist a fair number of silent atheists. I'm interested in seeing the day the polar ice caps are gone, purely for the observational experience of knowing whether or not it happened, and to settle this business once and for all. Report abuse Steven R wrote on August 22, 2008 11:54 AM: Hooray for Environmentalism! (I'm being facetious!) But, what about the greatest religion of all? LEGALISM! If it wasn't for the Legal religion the Environmentalists would be able to use their abilities to reason and use "common sense." And not to mention CEO's of major power companies making MILLIONS for salaries! Gee I wonder why my power bill is sooooo high? In reference to "EXTINCTION," there are species leaving this planet everyday. Why not try to use this Planet we call EARTH as it's CARETAKERS, as we were referred to in ancient texts, and leave as small a FOOTPRINT (ok, so I used a reference that the environmentalists use!) as possible. I believe that placing Solar arrays out in the middle of the desert, that the little creatures that inhabit that environment would be able to adapt to the strange objects placed in their NEIGHBORHOOD! But then again why do we freak-out when some mountain Lion or Bear, or some odd creature enters the COMMUNITY? After all, didn't they live there FIRST? So what if we are polluting the Planet, as long as we have are LOBBYISTS, ATTORNEYS, and other crazies who put on blinders and bow and praise to LEGALISM. Sad note to Jon H, the collectivist State already controls US, and they go by the title of LEGALISM. We can do nothing without asking them for permission. Note to Rusty: "My People are destroyed for lack of KNOWLEDGE, because thou have rejected knowledge." (the Bible) I guess We are already sliding down that "slippery slope!" Oh, that's right, it;s slippery because there aren't any FREAKING TREES or PLANTS! Report abuse Jon H. wrote on August 22, 2008 11:44 AM: rustyrosco wrote: "A new religion has been invented. Environmentalism. The rise of environmentalism parallels in time and place the decline of Christianity and socialism…" rustyrosco, I agree with your assessment except for one very key element of your analysis. It is true that Socialism was on a decline, due to the fact that economically it failed. But, I would argue that Socialism has adopted this religion of Environmentalism as a way to re-establish its initiative of creating the Socialist state. The effect of their apparent success has been the elimination of individual property rights and all of the liberties and freedoms associated with an individuals property rights. As a gross example, is how the property owners of Lake Tahoe land were stripped of their property rights, with regards to the building their dream retirement homes, on property they purchased twenty years ago for that purpose. This is Environmentalism at its best, and worst . . . Draconian in the extreme. Report abuse Diogenes wrote on August 22, 2008 11:38 AM: BR, to you, John McCain is an environmental extremist. And if you and rustyrosco can't figure out there's a problem when it's getting hotter and more humid, and we're losing polar icecaps and the like, just don't take the rest of us with brains down with you, ok? Report abuse rustyrosco wrote on August 22, 2008 10:23 AM: A new religion has been invented. Environmentalism. The rise of environmentalism parallels in time and place the decline of Christianity and socialism… It is a fundamentalist religion with a fear of nature. It has its own high priests such as Al Gore and a holy writ, such as the IPCC reports… Like many fundamentalist religions, it attracts believers by announcing apocalyptic calamities unless we change our ways. Its credo is repeated endlessly and a new language has been invented. Logic, contrary data or questioning are not permitted. Heretics are inquisitorially destroyed. It states that now is the most important time in history and people are told that humanity is facing the greatest crisis in the history of time. We must make great sacrifices. Now. This religion uses thinking out of the Judeo-Christian tradition: If the world has been destroyed, then we humans are to blame. This new age religion tries to remystify the world, a world that its adherents neither experience nor try to understand… A disunity between religion and science is created. The science that derived from the Enlightenment and which bathes in doubt, scepticism and uncertainty is willingly thrown overboard. Report abuse Jim Nance wrote on August 22, 2008 09:43 AM: The bring new Solar One plant southwest of Las Vegas generates energy at 240% times the current market price. Read All Comments