Make Cape Light Compact democratic

Why we should elect Cape Light Compact representatives

By State Representitive Matthew C. Patrick

I have a long track record in the area of energy conservation and am recognized to have some expertise on energy issues. Most of my professional life has been in the field of energy.

I was instrumental in the creation of the Cape Light Compact and the recent award for its energy efficiency programs is based on a foundation I laid. I drafted language for the 1997 Restructuring Act, and worked with then Sen. Henri Rauschenbach to transfer to the Compact the energy efficiency money that otherwise would be retained by the local utility. At the time, the Compact Steering Committee was uninterested in the efficiency program funds as they had more important things to worry about.

"Many Compact members are former utility executives... their background and experience may bias their view ... their defense of pollution-belching generating facilities too closely follows the company line..."

Many Compact members are former utility executives. I can only surmise that their background and experience may bias their view when innovative management measures are raised. I find that their defense of pollution-belching generating facilities too closely follows the company line and they undervalue evidence that points to a link between air pollution from generating facilities and public health problems.

For example, the Harvard School of Public Health studies find an increase of lung- and heart-related deaths and illnesses near fossil fuel burning power plants.

Ignoring a proven renewable alternative

Wind energy is now a proven technology, proving its worth in many locations around the globe and has a better reliability rating than most fossil fuel plants, yet Compact members continue to make outdated arguments about costs.

"Compact members continue to make outdated arguments about costs"

They are quick to remind us that wind turbines need a backup source of electricity when the wind is not blowing. What they neglect to mention is that it is the responsibility of the wind supplier to provide backup electricity eliminating that concern for the Compact.

In my view, the Compact should begin negotiating with Cape Wind now, in order to anticipate possible regulatory approval. The town of Yarmouth has shown leadership by negotiating a multi-million dollar agreement.

I agree that it is premature to negotiate prices with Cape Wind, but no one expects them to negotiate prices at this point. Using a purchase and sales agreement analogy, I suggest that the Compact negotiate a first-in-line position or at least a right of first refusal.

"The worst thing that could happen for Cape Codders is that the project is built and we find ourselves without any claim to ownership of the inflation-free electricity over the next 30 years or more"

The worst thing that could happen for Cape Codders is that the project is built and we find ourselves without any claim to ownership of the inflation-free electricity over the next 30 years or more. The Compact bases its reluctance to push "green electricity" more forcefully (nobody wants to buy green electricity) on the fact that only 35 families out of 40,000 initial mailings have signed up.

Compact members confusion

I think that there is still some confusion among Cape consumers about how to deal with the transition. This confusion provides an opportunity for leadership that the Compact is ignoring. I had to search the Compact's Web site to learn that the increased cost is only 1.8 cents more per kWh for 100 percent green electricity or 1.2 cents more per kWh for 50 percent green electricity. With minimal effort, the Compact could provide a vision of how we could join together to become more "green."

As a start, the Compact could put the actual price increase right on the green brochure advertisement in its mailing. Perhaps more people would have signed up if they knew how inexpensive it actually is. The fact that the Compact is promoting green electricity means there is green electricity out there to purchase now (or will be in the near future) and it makes me wonder how much it would cost for the Compact to create a Capewide market.

If the price for additional green electricity was spread out among all of the kilowatt hours we 197,000 ratepayers purchase as a group, the price for green would be insignificant. We could set an example by surpassing the state requirements for green electricity.

The Compact could also create financing programs for locally generated green electricity. For example, how would you like to have a photovoltaic system (turns sunlight into electricity) on your house or business that would spin your meter backwards? How would you like to contribute to a local wind turbine in your town that would supply all of the electricity for your sewage treatment facility, high school or municipal buildings? Such an innovation would help keep your property taxes down. The price to join could be less than one half penny per kWh. That's enough to create a revenue stream that will enable the Compact to borrow money to make financing programs possible.

"The Compact does not give the citizens of Cape Cod sufficient credit for making visionary decisions"

These programs would leverage additional funding from existing state programs. I have urged the Compact to begin to give serious consideration to such innovations. So far there has been no response. The Compact's charter makes renewable energy a priority but it is not currently a priority for the Compact. It is only afterthought to the base price of electricity and is without a vision of alternative futures.

The Compact does not give the citizens of Cape Cod sufficient credit for making visionary decisions. They assume that all of you are myopically interested in is lowering the price of electricity. The most important point they miss is that we can secure lower prices for our electricity in the future by investing in renewable energy now - especially local renewable energy.

I have been a student of municipal utilities for a long time and I have found that the most progressive ones have elected board members like Hull and Princeton. Hull has gained national recognition for placing a wind turbine at its high school that generates all of the municipal electricity and has recently voted to put up a new turbine and is now considering off-shore sites. Princeton has had a wind farm since the early 1980s and has recently voted to install new ones.

Even Austin Texas is of us ahead in its thinking

Another municipality that has been very active is Austin, Texas, which has extensive financing programs to help people install renewable energy devices in their homes and businesses. The Compact has a tremendous potential that is being wasted. I have concluded that their lack of vision is based in their backgrounds and training. If the Compact board members were elected they would be accountable to the people they represent. People with competing views will run against them. They will debate these issues in public and be held accountable by their constituencies. A change to an elected Compact does not politicize the process. The real question is why have we waited so long to make them elected positions.

Matthew Patrick, D-Falmouth, represents to 3rd Barnstable District in the Massachusetts House. He is presently serving his second term in the state legislature and serves on the Energy Committee and is chair of the Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy subcommittee.  Mr. Patrick has been a driving force in the negotiations between the four upper cape towns, the Commonwealth and the Department of Defense for a lease extension at the Mass. Military Reservation.  Representative Patrick is a former Falmouth Selectman, environmental activist and the former Executive Director of Self-Reliance Corporation.  Matt is a former Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Ghana, Africa from 1977 - 1979. He is married to Louise A. Patrick with whom he has two children, Mia, 22 and Sam, 15. He lives in the Falmouth village of Waquoit in an 1820 vintage home with an apple orchard and chickens.