| WASHINGTON
- August 22 - "President Bush's comments in the
wake of last week's blackout are correct -- we need a practical restructuring of the U.S.'s inefficient and dangerous energy system," said Don Eichelberger, Energy Action Group coordinator for the Green Party of California. "We need to begin by reversing the deregulation of the electrical power industry, which has proved itself more concerned about profits than in improving safety and efficiency."
Greens note that the power failure caused nine nuclear
reactors to shut down, revealing the vulnerability of
nuclear power and the peril it poses to the
surrounding environment, especially nearby cities and
towns. The Green Party of the United States has
called for public control and re-regulation of
electricity; conversion from fossil fuel and nuclear
to safe, clean, renewable solar, wind, and fuel cell
energy; and reduced consumption.
Greens have also supported decentralized production of electricity and incentives for local generation of energy, such as rooftop solar panels. In Delaware, Greens fought the sale of Delmarva Power to Potomac Power, an out-of-state utility on the basis of responsiveness to the community, protection of the pensions of retired workers, and the need for money to be set aside for development of green energy initiatives.
"In June 2001, President Bush lobbied against
legislation to provide $350 million worth of loans to
update the power grid after weaknesses were exposed,"
said Mark Dunlea, chair of the Green Party of New York
State. "He convinced Republicans in Congress to vote
it down. We must hold Bush and his party responsible
for the blackout and its disastrous financial effect
on cities throughout northeastern and midwestern
states."
"If reform means further deregulation, gifts and deals
for energy and power companies, and greater corporate
control over energy policy, we're going to see a lot
more breakdowns, security breaches, energy crises of
the kind we saw in California, and Enron-style
scandals," said Beth Ingalls, Green member of the
Truckee, California City Council. "Unfortunately,
this is the direction we're headed under the Bush Administration."
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