Nevada State Energy Director - Gibbons Appointee - Reveals Stunning Cluelessness In Public Memo

[hatrack]

EDIT

In his “energy Economy Declaration” and subsequent interview with the Sun, Groth revealed he believes utility-scale solar plants need only a few hundred acres when they actually require thousands. He cited a large-scale solar project in California as an example of economically beneficial projects planned on Nevada soil. He writes in his declaration that there are only 24 megawatts of utility-scale solar power in the state when there are 95.5 megawatts up and running (not to mention the nearly 230 more under contract with NV Energy and hundreds more under contract to California utilities.)

He also believes upgrading the state’s transmission network to accommodate large-scale renewable energy exporting would cost only about $4 per ratepayer each year, amounting to roughly tens of millions dollars over time, while industry experts anticipate it costing tens of billions of dollars. He believes the tax benefit from the manufacturers that this development would, in his plan, attract, would more than offset the cost to ratepayers. He initially stated that Nevada benefits from sales tax on solar electricity sold to California, only to acknowledge later that the state gets none.

And Groth’s “plan of attack to successfully develop Nevada’s energy economy” last month shocked environmentalists and energy experts. In the most talked about aspect of his plan, Groth says the state needs to wrest millions of acres of Nevada from federal control. The goal: to eliminate time-consuming environmental reviews and public-comment periods. Groth says federal environmental policies are nothing more than bureaucratic hurdles that serve mostly to create more work for federal employees. Turning land over to the state, he said, would speed development and attract renewable energy manufacturers and developers to Nevada.

“The greatest thing holding Nevada back from achieving economic success right now is the need to satisfy onerous policies or laws and have the ‘right’ paperwork in order,” Groth writes in his “declaration.” The “onerous policies” he’s talking about are the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act and others. They require anyone planning an activity that will affect an endangered species, cultural artifact, archaeological site, air quality or other environmental factors to fully analyze the impacts and propose ways to offset them when necessary.

EDIT

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may/11/bellicose-approach-renewable-future/