Governor's Commission Adopts EAC Report
By Robert Farmer
WEST PALM BEACH, December 3rd — After three months of review and discussion The Governor’s Commission for a Sustainable South Florida adopted in its entirety its Energy Advisory Committee’s A Report on Energy Issues.
Over strong utility industry objections and after some debate the Commission also adopted, with a two-thirds majority vote for each, a new recommendation and additional action steps to two existing recommendations which had also been put forward by the EAC. These non-consensus items were not supported by the utility industry members of the EAC and covered the following issues:
- convening a multi-stakeholder group to consider electric industry restructuring in Florida
- assuring the selection of least-cost alternatives to create a level playing field for DSM
- encouraging utilities to develop energy resource acquisition plans for sustainable energy systems
- expanding regulatory models to remove the tie between utility revenues and increasing sales
- providing a balanced consideration of the cost effectiveness of conservation programs including environmental costs and benefits
- strengthening DEP’s regulatory framework to support efficiency and clean renewables; PSC to use in energy procurement review proceedings.
Having followed these proceedings closely since the EAC presented its report to the Quality Communities Committee in September, it became clear that a majority of the commissioners intended to endorse the sustainable energy path advocated by the EAC. What was not clear, was whether the Commission could find the common ground with the utility industry on the EAC’s non-consensus issues. The utility industry, for their part, tried to accommodate the Commission and reiterated their active role in the EAC’s report for a “mutually shared vision of the need to move toward a more sustainable energy future”. The Commission sought understanding and alternate language but, unfortunately, it proved impossible. The bridge, for the present, proved too great to cross.
It’s easy to appreciate the utility industry’s concerns but on the other hand, as DCA Secretary Jim Murley noted, this is only the beginning of the process. And that’s the key. Progress is made by putting all the cards on the table, no matter how undesirable they may first appear.
From my perspective, the Governor’s Commission really had no choice but to advocate the strongest sustainable position possible, and the utilities had no choice but to defend the status quo. The sustainability high ground has been taken and it is only the beginning of the process, but at the end of the day the Governor’s Commission has put everyone on notice, once again, that it cares deeply about the sustainability of the planet and of Florida in particular. After all, it’s a question of survivability. •
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