Are America's Environmental Groups In Favor of Anything at All?

From time to time, I've referred to a number of anti-nuclear groups as being part of the "no solutions" gang. But after decades of letting the world know what they're against, folks are starting to catch on to the fact that they're not in favor of anything that would provide energy that's both affordable and environmentally sensitive.

Here's Les McClain from the Energy Tribune (subscription required):

They hate fossil fuels. They don’t like current fuel economy standards or oil consumption rates. They are stridently opposed to drilling on the California coast, the Florida coast, and virtually all of the East Coast. They refuse to consider drilling in Alaska. They don’t like Middle Eastern oil. Oh, and they despise nuclear power.

Given this laundry list of complaints, what exactly do America’s biggest environmental groups want when it comes to energy policy? After talking to Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Environmental Defense, National Audubon Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, that’s mostly what we came away with: talk. They said lots about what won’t work, but very little about what will.

While that sort of stance might help raise money through direct mail, it isn't exactly helpful when it comes to planning for the future. Here's Robert McGhee, Chairman and CEO of Progress Energy:

"Some people think we can reduce consumption and meet demand with no new generation. The way I look at it is... They can afford to be wrong. But as a regulated utility, we do not have that option."

After reviewing the various policy positions of all the green groups -- with the exception of the National Resources Defense Council -- McLain comes to an interesting conclusion:

If the greens want to be seen as anything but complainers with plenty of objections to the energy policy debate but no real fixes, they need to start accepting the realities of the country's predicament, and operate within that framework to propose solutions that don't defy the numbers or bank on impracticalities. And if they really want to stop global warming, they're going to have to accept short-term solutions, like nuclear, while working toward long-term goals.

Read the rest right now.

Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power, Electricity, Environment, Energy, Politics, Technology, Economics, EDF, Greenpeace, National Audobon Society, NRDC, Sierra Club