Grand Marais PUC supports Energy Innovation Act
Related Stories
The Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission met on Monday, March 25 and had in-depth discussion of the federal legislation titled Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
PUC Chair George Wilkes gave a presentation on the legislation and told the board that this bill is well-aligned with the Carbon Fee and Dividend policy that the PUC supported with a resolution in 2017. He said this act is also supported by the local unit of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Wilkes said to date, 135 other cities and counties have passed resolutions for what he described as a “national, revenue-neutral, carbon pricing policy.”
Discussion included questions about how this would impact energy users. PUC member Tim Kennedy noted that this would impact the trucking industry the most. Wilkes acknowledge that could be true, and that in fact, increased expenses for businesses was likely. However, he said a carbon dividend that would be returned to consumers could balance that out.
Kennedy expressed concern about how the process, but ultimately did vote in support of the resolution, along with Possis and Wilkes.
The resolution calls on the United States Congress to urgently consider passage of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
The PUC will now bring the resolution to the city council at its April 10 meeting at Grand Marais City Hall.
The commission also talked about the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP)’s “Real Solar Deal” program and about how the PUC could support this effort to bring more solar energy to Grand Marais.
Commissioners passed a motion to reimburse the first 10 participants in “Real Solar Deal” $100, which would cover the cost of their site assessment fee.
The PUC also discussed setting up a solar array at the Grand Marais Public Library. There are questions over who would benefit from the energy produced—the library or the city, so that matter was tabled to allow city staff to come up with a plan.
For more information on the city's overall climate action plan, click here.
Tweet