Morning Bell: What’s Worse Than Energy Taxes? Renewable Electricity Standards | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

Morning Bell: What’s Worse Than Energy Taxes? Renewable Electricity Standards | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

On March 15th, appearing with labor and environmental leaders, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled a new alternative energy plan that he said would ensure the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power would meet his goal of securing 20% of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar by December 31st. At the time, he claimed it would create 16,000 jobs and only raise consumer electric bills between 8.8% and 28.4%. But less than two weeks later those energy rate hike estimates had skyrocketed with the DWP saying it needed to raise rates by 37% in order to meet the renewable energy standards. Los Angeles’ already shrinking business community revolted and by April Mayor Villaraigosa’s plan had been soundly defeated.

What played out in Los Angeles is now about to play out in Washington. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) has been marshaling his American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACELA) through committee and is set to move it to the floor soon. The heart of Bingaman’s plan is essentially the same as Mayor Villaraigosa’s: a renewable electricity standard (RES) that mandates sellers of electricity to produce a growing percentage of their power from renewable energy sources every two years. And like Mayor Villaraigosa’s plan, Sen. Bingaman’s renewable energy standards would also mean higher electricity prices for all Americans.