By Mike Lewis, Times-Mail
mikel@tmnews.com
BEDFORD - Rising concerns over energy and the environment could also boost Indiana's economy.
That's the idea the Hoosier Environmental Council pressed in Bedford Saturday.
Environmental activists and three state lawmakers agreed - to a point. But there were differences over details.
Still, Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, noted what he called "an evolution in arguments" about the environment.
"The power of that was overwhelmed by economic considerations" in some past debates, he said. "Now, all of these issues are converging. ... Now it's an economic development kind of thing. It's also a jobs thing."
Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, outlined the group's proposal to push for the use of more renewable energy sources in Indiana. It's focused on the state's electricity needs and production.
Now, he said, 96 percent of Indiana's electricity comes from coal. The fuel is relatively cheap and reliable, and, as a result, Hoosiers' electricity costs rank 42nd among the 50 states.
But that will change, he said, as the nation moves toward cleaner, renewable energy sources. And Indiana, which has lost 40,000 manufacturing jobs since 2003, stands to gain from investing in the renewable energy market.
For example, President-elect Barack Obama has proposed spending $150 billion during the next 10 years to help development of plug-in hybrid cars and renewable power sources such as wind and solar. Kharbanda said that could mean thousands of jobs in Indiana.
Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, said it's already leading to some jobs in Lawerence County and other Hoosier communities.
For example, he said, Bedford Machine and Tool makes casings for the large windmills that produce electricity. The kiln at Lehigh Cement Co. in Mitchell can burn many materials, including discarded tires. And a dairy farm in northern Indiana uses anaerobic digesters to produce more energy that it uses.
"We must pursue an "all of the above" energy policy, he said, but "government should not be picking winners and losers" as new technologies emerge..
State Rep. Kreg Battles, D-Vincennes, continued the theme of looking at alternatives.
"We have to start looking at landfill gas," he said. "We have to start looking at wastewater gas. We have to start looking at CAFO (confined animal feeding operation) gas. ... Why not use it, and why not use it in a positive capacity?"
He added, "I think the key is we can't close any doors. We've got to be pragmatic. We have to keep an open mind, and we have to look for things that will work."
Some differences emerged over the details - incentives, mandates or rewards for energy developments, and policies for helping Hoosiers conserve.
"I don't think all the options are equal," said Orange County resident Andy Mahler. "I think we should look at the least harmful."
Using coal, he said, carries costs that are not paid directly by the consumer of electricity, but by many others in health and environmental damage. "There's no such thing as clean coal. I think we all have to acknowledge that."
And CAFOs, he said, "are a disaster on so many levels."
Mahler also suggested another energy approach.
In addition to initiatives that work on a large scale (like new power plants) and a small scale (like home energy conservation), he said lawmakers could help encourage community and regional power generation -for instance, a windmill that might serve a small community or county.