Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Woot! 2 more ALEC members drop out

ALEC, the shadowy corporate dating service for state lawmakers, has lost two more members. The reason? The two groups represent the renewable energy industry, something ALEC has been trying to strangle in its crib. That's because ALEC is the brainchild of the  Benedict Arnold Koch brothers, who are trying to protect their oil-and-gas fortune. 

The two new dropouts are the American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Greenwire tells us:
...the groups decided to drop out after ALEC adopted the "Electricity Freedom Act" model bill in October, which would end requirements that utilities generate a set amount of electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar (E&ENews PM, Nov. 5, 2012). SEIA allowed its one-year membership to expire last fall, and AWEA dropped out earlier this month...
Environmental and clean energy groups cite watchdog websites that show companies like Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil Corp., Duke Energy and Peabody sit on ALEC's energy, environment and agriculture task force and have a hand in crafting energy legislation. 
"There are 29 states that have renewable portfolio standards, and it's my understanding that ALEC is targeting each one," said Bill Gupton, an outreach director at Consumers Against Rate Hikes. 
The two groups join 42 corporations and four nonprofits that dumped ALEC, according to the Center for Media and Democracy.

Poor widdle ALEC...