House Bill 349, Promote Green Roofs on Buildings, is just one more example of politicians using the “green” movement to disguise classic political game playing. It sounds good, but it is a really just a taxpayer-funded handout to companies that install green roofs.
The bill – sponsored by Rep. Kelly Alexander (D-Mecklenburg), Rep. Pricy Harrison (D-Guilford), Rep. Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg), and Rep. Ken Goodman (D-Montgomery)—would create incentives that let property owners get out of paying some water treatment fees and take advantage of generous tax subsidies for building or retrofitting buildings with so-called green roofs.
The bill defines a green roof as “any roof which consists of vegetation and soil, or a growing medium with a minimum three inch depth, planted over a waterproofing membrane.” In some circumstances green roofs have been shown to promote energy efficiency by reducing heating and cooling costs.
There is nothing wrong with green roofs, or any innovative plan to try and use energy more efficiently in general. The problem lies with the reasoning that causes legislators to seek subsides.
Traditional thinking that the state should fund things that sound like good ideas doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. If green roofs actually save money, people will have plenty of incentive to build them without a state subsidy.
The political reality is that HB 349 would create a windfall to the handful of companies that install green roofs in North Carolina. It would also give the bill’s sponsors plenty of opportunity to talk about how environmentally friendly they are when the next campaign season rolls around. But it would also come at a substantial cost to taxpayers and result in plenty of “green improvements” that are not economically sustainable.
If green roof salesmen need state subsidies to sweeten their sales pitches, than green roofs aren’t really a good deal, and that is why HB 349 is the “bad bill of the week.”
I read recently that the Concinnati Zoo is covering four acres of a parking lot with 6400 solar cells at a cost of $11,000000.00. This will allow them to save 20% of their present annual electric bill of $700,000.00 or $140,000.00. Assuming no batteries ever needs to be replaced, a motor that turns the cells into the sun or one of the inverters fails that means the break even should be around 100 years?
It didn’t say there was a subsidy but I would bet there was.
We have got to do something about all these people with their hands out looking to be subsidized for the foolish unproitable schemes concerning energy. The only ones profiting are the sellers of this technology including the Chinese who manufacture most of the cells being sold.
Goodness gracious, where is the stop button for these ridiculous waste of time bills. With all the struggles we face with today’s economy and our States deficit, why do voters/tax payers sit back and say nothing?? We need to make noise and let these representatives know that attempting to sneak in frivolous spending will know longer be tolerated. No more covert activity.
How can we get through to our representatives? We need jobs, not more unproven special interest projects. The citizens of NC have deep rooted concerns that need all of our representatives attention. Unemployment,inflation, health care we can’t afford, energy independence, ineffective school system, illegal alien social services and a State deficit over $2 billion. Pick one, work on that before drafting bills the equate to growing grass on our roofs. We need to identify and purge wasteful ineffective spending, not spend more.
Representatives—please hear this loud and clear—wake up and do your job. Stop playing in the sand box. Prioritize your work. Start with cutting $2.3 billion out of the budget. Focus on creating real sustainable jobs. Stop spending and start cutting.
This Green roof project is unacceptable and a waste of tax payer resources. Finally, stop trying to raise taxes, we are tapped out.
Bob:
Well said, a good third grade math lesson is always sobering.
I am a sailor and have solar panels on my boat.
Nobody is talking about the maintenance associated with keeping solar cells operational. I can tell you first hand, solar energy, as currently defined, is a flawed strategy. The capital investment is understated and the true savings is a scam.