My family supported politicians like Ronald Reagan, both Bush presidents, and Bob Dole. They used "conservative" to self-describe more often than "Republican."
We were raised in a home that composted food leftovers and byproducts, kept a garden, recycled everything we could and had a healthy relationship with energy use. The extended family raised cows; once a year we would split the cost to butcher one and share the meat. Neighbors who hunted shared game with us. Canning vegetables, shucking corn, and shelling peas were part of our childhood experience. We worked to be self- reliant but also show good stewardship towards the Earth.
Self-reliance is a characteristic my wife and I raise our kids around. Most mornings our 2- and 4-year-olds feed hens and grab their eggs. Depending on the time of year they'll grab a bite to eat from our garden or fruit tree grove or berry bushes. We bought into the original ideology of conservatives in that regard.
I'm a home builder; over the years we have built over a dozen homes partially powered by solar energy. Solar panels, when used properly (on sunny sides of the home and not under shade trees), will typically pay for themselves in less than 25 years without any government subsidies so long as the installing contractor doesn't charge too much. Subsidies help speed payback of the investment.
Harvesting energy from the sun is another way to make our neighborhood more self-reliant. Plus, the thought of sending someone else's kids to the desert to potentially die so we can afford energy for AC is bothersome. Using solar energy reduces dependence on foreign energy, and that is reason enough.
In Arkansas we have a super-majority of Republicans; they describe themselves as conservatives. But recently a bill was discussed in a House committee that would make future investments in solar unprofitable in almost every case. The original bill made an effort to be retroactive, making past solar investments unprofitable. Thankfully the committee amended the bill by removing that portion, then passed it to the House floor for a vote Monday.
I wouldn't be concerned since our Legislature has a super-majority of self-described conservatives that encourage self-reliance, but in the last legislative session a similar bill was passed by what was then also a super-majority of Republicans. (A judge found the bill to be unconstitutional and threw it out.) If this bill passes, energy companies are going to take two-thirds of any surplus home energy you produce.
This bill makes future investments in solar net losers; it tried to turn all past investments into losers too. It takes energy you invested in and created away from you and sells it to your neighbor for full price.
Solar is important in reducing our dependence on foreign energy, but it's not possible without the encouraged use of rooftops and surface parking lots. If we trade a 10-acre power plant for a solar field, it would take 10,000 acres of solar panels to meet the same production. Solar fields are not a reliable option for reducing dependence on foreign energy in that regard. Rooftops are incredibly important in working towards a solution.
While I am heartened to see solar panels are no longer a political issue in many parts of Arkansas, I am concerned about the perceived efforts by Big Energy to influence our representatives. This issue has dire consequences for average Arkansans who are already struggling with the cost of energy.
If we divest any marketable cost savings for residential solar owners, we are sending a message that utility companies are above and beyond the influence of the free market. Those constituents deserve a fair shake. It is important that we encourage our representatives to reject this bill and support the ability of Arkansans to be self-reliant. Harvesting our own energy is just as important as growing our own food. That's why I am praying our representatives sincerely consider voting no on HB1370.
Between hunting deer, ducks, fishing and gardening, there is comfort in knowing we could provide for ourselves in some capacity if food supply chains break down. Harvesting our own energy is another way to increase our self-reliance.
Encourage your House representative to support our ability to be self- reliant and reject HB1370. The vote is Monday--so call now.
Mike Orndorff is a residential and commercial developer in downtown Little Rock.