Press Mention E&E Daily December 17, 2013
SACE Quoted
Enviro group laments 'false controversy' over funding
In this mention
The Southern Environmental Law Center and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy respond to Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby's inquiry into whether federal funding supports anti-coal efforts. SACE, which has received DOE grants unrelated to its advocacy, expresses concern about Alabama's rate-setting process and calls for accountability in utility planning decisions regarding coal plant retirement versus upgrades.
Coming out of this informal hearing, we remain concerned that Alabama needs a formal review of its rate-setting process to ensure full transparency and accountability for Alabama Power's spending decisions. We will continue to advocate for utility planning that's accountable to Alabamians as we head into 2014.
SACE
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Full transcript
COAL:
Enviro group laments 'false controversy' over funding
Manuel Quiñones, E&E reporter
Published: Wednesday, December 18, 2013
The Southern Environmental Law Center is questioning Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby's attention to coal industry claims that federal funding may be supporting anti-coal efforts.
Last week, the Alabama Coal Association asked Shelby to investigate whether federal agency grants to SELC and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy supported group efforts at reducing U.S. dependence on coal-fired power (E&E Daily, Dec. 11).
Shelby followed up with a letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, asking him to look further into the issue and lamenting the groups' objections to coal (E&E Daily, Dec. 17).
"I can answer that question unequivocally: No. SELC has never received DOE funds," SELC Birmingham office managing attorney Keith Johnson wrote in a new letter to Shelby. "In fact, of the small amount of federal funds my organization has received over the years, none of it has gone to energy work."
Johnson added, "In short, your letter calling for an investigation based on misleading information brought to you by the Alabama Coal Association was misguided."
Yesterday's SELC letter to Shelby was the latest shot in what has become a battle of letters in the broader debate over the benefit of coal-fired power generation. Many of those arguments are going on before state regulators.
"Unfortunately, in Alabama, to even begin a conversation about energy, our families and businesses face significant hurdles," Johnson wrote. "Simply put, Alabama is falling behind on the energy front."
Like advocates in other states, SELC wants the Alabama Public Service Commission to compel Southern Co.'s Alabama Power Co. to move toward retiring old coal plants rather than spending $1 billion to upgrade them.
Accusing the Alabama Coal Association of "ginning up false controversy," SELC sent Shelby a list of federal grants it has received over the past several years and an explanation of their purpose. The group did not report any DOE grants.
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, which has received DOE grants unrelated to its advocacy before the PSC, has written about the issue and a recent Public Service Commission informal hearing in blog posts.
"Coming out of this informal hearing, we remain concerned that Alabama needs a formal review of its rate-setting process to ensure full transparency and accountability for Alabama Power's spending decisions," SACE said. "We will continue to advocate for utility planning that's accountable to Alabamians as we head into 2014."