The Democrats have long had one-party control in California, aided by their radical environmentalist cohorts, and give us a good look at our national future.
They defeated an oil company's attempt to drill for oil off of Santa Barbara using slant drilling from shore, not an offshore platform. Their rationale was that it would 'only slow the switch to renewables.' Nobody had the nerve or knowledge to question “what renewables?”
They refuse to allow any more nuclear power here, so at the present time Los Angeles gets 50% of its electrical power from coal.
An earlier attempt to reduce vehicle emissions with MTBE in gasoline resulted in a lot of contamination of water supplies.
Now they are even considering banning the sale of black vehicles in California because they more energy to cool their interiors: Click here: California’s Plan to Reduce Emissions...
“The California Air Resources Board has withdrawn an unpopular set of plans that would have effectively banned black vehicles as a way to reduce emissions. . . . Never mind that black is the second most popular car color.
“Instead of black, paint makers fiddling with compliance were finding a color described as “mud-puddle brown. The air resources board’s rule follows the accepted fact that the darker the color of car, the more it takes to cool the car, thus the increased emissions.
“Now, after facing global ridicule, the air resources board says it has no plans ‘at this time’ to regulate the color of car paint, according to a Los Angeles Times blog.”
Meanwhile, funniest of all, Sen. Feinstein is pushing legislation to prevent the development of both solar arrays and wind turbines in the Mojave Desert. Click here: Watchdog Politics Examiner: Sen. Feinstein says no wind turbines in nearby desert
“Senator Diane Feinstein of California has made it known that she does not want to see new energy projects, including that creating solar and wind power, in the pristine desert. “The area she is concerned about is between the Mojave National Reserve and Joshua Tree National Park, off the old Route 66 between the towns of Ludlow and Needles. About 800,000 acres make up this area. The Bureau of Land Management is reviewing 130 applications for solar and wind energy development in the California desert, covering 1 million acres of public lands. “While Feinstein is being backed by the Route 66 Alliance, Myron Ebell, an energy expert with the pro-market Competitive Enterprise Institute said that this is ‘the first example of how hard it is going to be to realize President Obama's dream of a green-energy economy.’” However, Feinstein says that she is not engaged in a not-in-my-back-yard campaign. “I’m a strong supporter of renewable energy and clean technology--but it is critical that these projects are built on suitable lands. “The area she is concerned about includes desert tortoise habitat, wildlife corridors, cactus gardens and the Amboy Crater--an inactive volcanic crater.”
High desert photo by Gwynnie last week:
Meanwhile, one hundred miles northwest, is the great Tehachapi wind farm, about which a blog in – of all places – Germany has the following notation:
Wind Plants of California's Tehachapi Pass
The Tehachapi Pass is one of the world's largest producer of wind-generated electricity. The more than 5,000 wind turbines in the Tehachapi-Mojave wind resource area of Kern County generate approximately 1.3 Terawatt-hours (1,300,000,000 kWh) per year. This is enough electricity to meet the residential needs of more than 500,000 Southern Californians or nearly one million Europeans. The Tehachapi Pass is two hours north of Los Angeles and is frequently used by Hollywood producers for its dramatic scenery as in the movie Terminal Velocity. Every May the Kern Wind Energy Association and the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club lead a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail to view the spring wildflowers and the wind turbines. The hikers shown here have stopped for lunch atop Cameron Ridge, which affords spectacular views of the area's wind power plants, the Tehachapi Mountains, and the Mojave Desert.” http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/WKA/windfarm/tehcal.html
There you have it folks – even the Sierra Club appreciates hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (the West’s equivalent to the Appalachian Trail) and looking at this vast wind farm. (However, the skeptic will note that the foregoing appreciation may not be the opinion of Diane’s desert tortoises or cactus gardens).
Nevertheless, visitors to the premier desert recreation area of Palm Springs, whether of human, animal or Hollywood origin, pass directly through California’s second largest wind farm area, the perpetually windy San Gorgonio Pass, and do so with no objection. Indeed, as we passed through the Pass last week, we experienced a sense of awe and respect for the pioneers of wind power. This area’s 3,500 wind turbines produce enough power for 350,000 people.
Now, folks, remember we said that 50% of the electricity in Los Angeles is produced by burning COAL! 800,000 acres of wind power would provide power for 3,500,000 homes.
However, unless someone who uses reason rather than pure emotion can communicate this concept to Senator Diane, wind power is a dead issue in the United States.
Oh, did I mention that she also wants the desert to be a no-go zone for solar power?
San Gorgonio Pass Windmills:
