In case you missed it, or have only heard the critics and the babble from the screech-monkeys over at the Right-Wing Noise Machine, here is Al Gore’s speech calling for energy independence and removal of the foreign oil needle of addiction in ten years.
It runs 27-minutes and is worth your time. It is one of the most important speeches of our lifetime!
I’ve included a couple of news item which relate to this story and which confirm that, while some see Gore’s speech as controversial, we, particularly Texas, are already moving in that direction.
It seems that Texas has already taken some steps down the road to which the former Vice President points.
Texas already leads the nation in generation of wind power (no jokes, please—no please none, I’m serious) and is near investing billions more into its development.
Last Thursday Texas officials gave an OK for building almost five billion dollars in electricity transmission lines from new West Texas and Panhandle wind farms to energy hungry areas such as Austin, Dallas and Houston.
The three-member Texas Public Utility Commission selected a transmission scenario that will eventually transmit a total of 18,456 megawatts of wind power to customers.
Read more here:
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jul2008/2008-07-18-094.asp
Texas billionaire and oil and water mogul, T. Boone Pickens, says he’s giving up partisan politics to join the fight for clean air and energy self-sufficiency. Pickens has tossed $50 million dollars into an ad campaign supporting wind farms and natural gas fueled vehicles.
Never an altruist, Pickens, donated millions to the scurrilous campaign of lies from the Swift Boats Captains for Truth that helped undermine John Kerry’s campaign eight years ago.
Now, with Born Again zeal, Pickens will meet with congressional and energy leaders next week seeking support for clean air and energy self-sufficiency through natural gas fueled vehicles and wind farms for electricity. A couple of thoughts to keep in mind: If this old boy is for it, there’s money to be made somewhere. Lots and lots of it, just scads, y'awl! And if Pickens is coming aboard, you can bet it is well thought out and will be gusher!
Read more here:
And from today’s San Francisco Chronicle:
“After Boone Pickens' announcement earlier this year that he would invest heavily in wind power generation in the Lone Star State, the state has proposed a major expansion of its wind power transmission lines. New lines will carry enough power to support 3.7 million homes. Despite its conservatism, Texas already leads the nation in wind power generation.
The state will put nearly $5 million into infrastructure, but Public Citizen estimates that the investment will save consumers $13 million in electric bills.
It will be interesting to watch to see if things go so well that other windy states follow suit. According to Al Gore's recent proposal, Midwestern states have enough wind to power the entire country.”
Article here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?&entry_id=28336
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