March 13,
2015 (Lansing) – The state’s leading small business organization,
the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), expressed
skepticism today in response to Governor Snyder’s call for increasing the state’s
share of energy use from renewable sources by 30 to 40 percent over the next 10
years. The Governor made the announcement as part of his energy plan he
unveiled today.
“Small business owners are wary of any policy that seeks to promote
‘green’ energy sources at the expense of rate-payers overall,” said NFIB State Director Charlie Owens. “Many of the renewable sources
of power are not viable in the marketplace and only exist because of taxpayer
or rate-payer subsidies.”
Owens credited the Governor for his policy to move towards more renewable energy sources without imposing a mandated percentage of power generation – as is the case with the current 10% renewable requirement. However, he cautioned that the environmental zealots that want all rate payers to subsidize “green energy” sources will continue to push for mandated requirements.
Owens cited the voter’s rejection of the 2012 “25 by 25” renewable
energy ballot proposal as evidence that Michigan citizens are also not
supportive of forced quotas for green energy sources. That proposal, advanced
by the state’s environmental groups, would have required
that 25 percent of Michigan’s energy come from renewable sources such as wind,
solar and biomass by 2025. Currently Michigan law requires that 10 percent of
energy produced come from renewable sources and some state lawmakers have
suggested that even this requirement should be eliminated.
“We surveyed small business owners on the 2012
renewable energy ballot proposal and they overwhelmingly opposed the
initiative,” said Owens. “When asked if they support the proposal 89 percent said NO, 8 percent said YES and 3 percent were Undecided.”
Owens
acknowledged that what the Governor is proposing is not identical to the 2012
ballot proposal and that the organization will be examining the specifics to
determine if a new survey is in order before taking an official position on the
plan.
