Small businesses need clean energy bill

Small businesses need clean energy bill

To the editor:
    As a small business owner, I find myself thinking a lot about innovation.
    In the course of a little more than 10 years, I’ve watched the Internet transform from a 20-user Defense Department project based at the Pentagon to a worldwide phenomenon with billions of users logging on every minute. I’ve watched Google — an Internet-driven company — make an initial public offering at hundreds of dollars a share; I’ve watched the largest venture capital firms in the world put millions of dollars on the table for the latest great idea, and double their money in a matter of years; and it’s all just one example of the innovative growth that is happening in America every day. The fact is, though we continue to see countries like China and India grow, our nation still stands as the greatest innovator in the world. 

    That is, in most areas. On climate policy, on renewable energy, and on energy reform, not so much. Because, even as we see innovation and creativity in some parts of our marketplace, we also see the cost of inaction on energy issues every single day. As a small business owner — and as a Mainer — I see costs expanding, oil spilling, toxins in our water, and pollutants in our skies.
    I think it’s unacceptable. I also think it’s solvable, because we already know the way forward.
    Legislation in Congress, first passed in the House of Representatives many months ago and now waiting for action in the Senate, will put us on the path towards energy independence once again. It will lower costs for families and businesses alike, and it will promote the kind of innovation and creativity necessary to sustain a clean energy revolution. We just need to get it passed.
    There’s a lot of talk in Washington right now that this bill will “hurt” small businesses. Part of the reason I’m writing today is to clear that up.
    The fact is, small businesses are already hurting. We don’t politicians to tell us, and we also don’t need politicians to use that fact as an excuse for inaction. Every day that we wait, we hurt businesses and families even more by allowing the cost of food, electricity, gas, and oil to continue to rise. Passing legislation that promotes cheaper and cleaner energy solutions will actually help businesses of all sizes, especially here in northern Maine.
    With legislation like this, Maine can be part of the industry that develops the safest hydrogen fuel cell, the cheapest electric battery, and the most efficient solar panel, while putting thousands of our people back to work and protecting our natural environment.
    Combine that with some of the ideas floating around Congress right now, things like free energy audits for business owners, no-interest loans for weatherization and energy saving repairs, and technical assistance for designing green economy products and business plans, and this bill is sure to be a tremendous help to thousands of business owners just like me.
    Sweeping policy changes like these don’t ever seem to be easy. They take a lot of time in Congress, and a lot of effort on the part of our government. If our leaders in Congress pass sweeping energy legislation now though, they’ll safeguard economic opportunity and improve quality of life for generations upon generations of Americans. And eventually, to quote a great legislator experienced in shaping change more than almost any other, “the people will look back and say, ‘what took you so long?’”