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- Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?
- Maybe--But Not Sure What to Organize
- Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:
- I am the Fleet Manager for the City of Wausau, and am currently researching all the possibilities of alternative energy for the Citys fleet
- What excites you about this campaign?
- The motivation to end dependency on foreign oil and to make a brighter energy future for our children and beyond
- What do you want to do to help?
- Add new alternate energy vehicles to our fleet as the technologies advance
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Good luck and I hope this is useful to you. Leslie
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27FEB09
Honorable Speaker of the House Congresswoman Pelosi,
I am an Electronic Technician Chief in the US Navy with 27 years service stationed overseas. I’m outlying an idea to assist and work with current plans for achieving energy independence. I urge you, as speaker of the house and the driving force to form the select committee on energy independence and global warming, consider for discussion and introduction into the house US Treasury Savings Bonds for Energy Independance.
In WWII America sold war bonds supporting the war effort. When young, my mother told me her primary school raised enough money through bonds to build a tank to support troops. I am impressed with the patriotism and purpose of our greatest generation that accomplished so much.
Selling energy bonds for RE (Renewable Energy) development would lower foreign oil imports and assist with the complex problem of funding. Bonds sold as “Energy S” could support new solar trough plants, “Energy W” to support wind farms, Energy “H” to support hydroelectric plants, Energy “T” to support RE transportation such as electric bullet train routes powered by RE, Energy "C" COOPS for small communities only needing a small quantity of turbines, and Energy “I” for needed infrastructure high voltage power lines to the RE site. Bonds will have the project name and include an artist’s perspective of the project and an American flag. President Obama had great success with the internet during his campaign. In a similar manner, using the internet, energy bonds could have a website listing current projects and an “electronic checkout” could purchase a bond $25 or higher. Simpler methods of payment such as “PAYPAL” and credit cards would be available and after an electronic purchase is complete a color print out of the bond is available with a follow up of the bond in the mail. The website would limit quantity of projects for each category until funding is complete. After a project becomes funded, a new project will be available. A tab on the site will show history and status of previous projects. Purchasers may take great pride in “collecting” and displaying bonds of various RE projects and participating at different levels of financial support. Solar trough plants in the multi-hundred MW size capacity with molten salt energy storage in California, Arizona, and West Texas can provide a major portion of electric needs. North Dakota has potential to support 1/3 of our nations electric needs in it’s class 4 wind zone areas. There are plenty of suitable proposed wind turbine farms now around the nation to significantly increase our RE if funded. Mid sized hydro-electric has not been used in America to it’s full potential. Following the example of our neighbor, Canada, it would provide a significant increase in percentage of electric production. Developing all three we could provide the majority of our electric and heating needs through renewable energy in a "New New Deal" fashion allowing natural gas for transportation as T. Boone Pickens is working for. Bullet train routes have proven a viable alternative to commercial domestic air service and when powered by electricity provided by RE suppliers America would be in the forefront of world technology. Example, I heard of discussion for a commuter train from Denver to Colorado Springs. Such a route built as a renewable energy project with charter requirement legally requiring to only purchase electricity from available renewable energy sources would be a model example. There are many train routes, city bus systems, and government vehicles that can be converted to run from alternative energy sources and fuels. Jobs created would bolster the economy, lower trade deficit, and strengthen national security. I would take great pride in print outs of bonds with graphics of each project I supported and many other Americans would also. The energy bonds could have tax breaks. BLM lands may be a viable place to start for some projects.
I contacted the US treasury department and was told that the marketing department for savings bonds closed several years ago. I was told there would be problems because savings bonds are at the federal level while the projects will be at the state and local level. I disagree and believe that these can easily be figured out in the way of grants to the state and local level using money from the bonds for those specific projects. I was told to check out auctions on the www.treasurydirect.gov website and found them to not apply to citizens wanting to buy savings bonds to support a cause such as energy independance. I was told by the treasury department to look into CREB (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds). I found CREB to be large scale funding that a citizen would not be able to participate in as a US Treasury Energy Independance Bond would provide. If given the tools to participate directly, the power of the citizens of the United States to help achieve energy independance could not be denied. Americans mean well and the Energy Independance Savings bond program will give citizens the power at their level to make it happen. If marketed through a web page, commercials, and to federal employees the word would get out and participation would spread like wildfire.
Mr. Paul Gipe, a resident of Bakersfield CA, an author of several books about wind energy, and recipient of multiple awards as a pioneer in the industry since the 1970's has put a letter I wrote to Senator Dorgan on this subject as well as an older letter I wrote on wind COOP in JAN07. These websites are:
http://www.wind-works.org/coopwind/RenewableEnergyBondsforEnergyIndependence.html
and
http://www.wind-works.org/articles/AmericanEnergyIndependencethroughCooperativeInvestmentinWindEnergy.html
Sincerely and very respectfully,
ETC(SW/AW) Mike Kendall USN
Mailing address: PSC 476, Box 879, FPO AP, 96322 USA
Telephone (803) 265-4756, Email: michael.kendall@ymail.com
Note: Of course I don't expect you to read all of this! (I got carried away :) By all means, please feel free to skip everything but you might read the first and last paragraph.
Here on the "PP" we have come together and circled our wagons to join with T. Boone. We're working and helping to push Boone's viable plan to get our country independent from foreign oil. It is truly a worthwhile cause and it is most definitely not a case of just doing something because we don't have anything else better to do. Accomplishing energy independence is imperative because it is not only about our, but perhaps more importantly, the generations following us long-term survival potential and reality.
The question now is..."What can I do to help?"
If you haven't already, you will soon be receiving welcomes from other members and they will be giving you a lot of info on what, where and how to help push the PP and how to get around in this vast online community. That being noted, I want you to know that what I am going to direct your attention to will probably not be coming from any of the others.
On the 17th of December 08' at 11:23 am T. Boone Pickens emailed the PP army. Within the body of that email he stated the following:
"We use more energy to heat, cool and light our homes and offices than we do to power our factories or even to drive our cars and trucks. Our country can save over 1 million barrels a day just by making our homes and offices more efficient. That's 1 million barrels we won't have to import from overseas. That's a big step in the right direction."
-Boone
So while we may not all be able to go out and directly get involved with wind farms of CNG (compressed natural gas) conversions....we do happen to live in structures that are (in most cases) consuming far more energy than is necessary. Therefore, by causing our existing housing to be more energy efficient and by insisting that any new housing be constructed so as to be super energy efficient...we can collectively effect a dramatic impact for the cause of energy independence not to mention adverse climate change. And, very importantly, it does not have to take a long time. We can begin right now! You see, it is not only about gaining energy independence for our country, it is also very much about gaining energy independence for the individual and for helping to usher in a lifestyle, across the breadth and depth of the general population, that is SUSTAINABLE.
Because none of can do it alone...four key concepts to keep forefront in your thoughts
are....collaboration,partnership, mental flexibility and integrity. The multi-dimensional and multi-layered task that we have at hand is not only gargantuan in scope but it is deadly. In order to overcome such a magnitude of adversity we are going to have to come together, seek out a point of common agreement and direct our collective energy and effort in an unified manner to accomplish a clearly defined goal. If we remain disbursed in our intentions and attentions and individuate form one another and behave as independent and arrogant tribes....then it is inevitable that we will lose across the boards. If you find this difficult to accept then invite you to look at our world history and note the many civilizations that have already come and gone. What makes our current civilization any different? The reality we have at hand is a the result of so many of us insisting that "it is my way or the highway." Or, assuming the attitude of, "I'll just go and watch this play out from up in the bleachers." And, as I think we will agree...the reality we are now embroiled in really SUCKS!
I strongly encourage you to join the SEE Super Energy Efficient Housing for Existing and New Homes Group. And if you don't join, I encourage you to at least drop in every now and then and check out the develpments.
Thank You for your time and attention.
Monte
Be sure to read Clynton's BLOG today.
Click here to help organize the New Energy Army in your Congressional District.
Contact and "Friend" the New Energy Army Regional Leader for your state.
Go to THE PLEDGE Lend your voice to the call for American energy independence.
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Invite your Friends to Join the Pickens Plan, click here
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Thanks again for joining this historical effort. TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS.
Leslie - Welcome Wagon Volunteer