It’s Getting Hot In Here

Deval Patrick, the often-controversial governor of Massachusetts, has not had an easy year. Amidst a protracted legislative brawl with his Republican opponents on Beacon Hill, Patrick was the focus of a A New York Times Article depicting his tenure in office as a lot of campaign bark and no bite. Of all unlikely venues for bipartisan success, however, Patrick has succeeded in eliciting significant support in the State House for a slew of recent clean energy measures.

Today, Patrick addressed Massachusetts business leaders in an effort to gain crucial buy-in for his effort to encourage substantial growth in the state’s clean energy sector. Wracked with debt and staggering from the national economic downturn, the Bay State is looking for ways to get rich quick and climate-friendly. The portfolio of clean energy measures in the works is notably diverse – from incentives for renewable energy companies to set up shop in-state to proposals to eliminate the gas tax on biofuels.

That may have been the moment when your eyebrows shot up toward your hairline.  Although the Boston Globe describes the Governor as “Convinced that the age of fossil fuels is over” and highlights Patrick’s legislative favoring of biofuels derived from switch-grass and agricultural waste over energy-guzzling corn-based “biofuels”, the efficacy of the plan in terms of long-term climate impact may be undermined by its persistent emphasis on a traditional (read:  outdated?) economic growth paradigm. Even if Patrick could somehow convince us of the theoretical soundness of this approach, it is difficult to get comfy with the idea absent a mandatory emissions cap (for the state or nation – either would do) to ensure that the (clean) industrial growth in the state would in fact cause a rapid, significant, and consistent decline in overall emissions.

While the verdict may still be out on Deval, Bostonians with two wheels will be applauding the efforts of their Mayor, Tom Menino, during next week’s Bay State Bike Week . Cycling enthusiasts from numerous neighborhoods will “Kick Gas” in fine form, and possibly ride a few circles around the State House in the process.