<
https://www.techdirt.com/2023/03/13/utility-busted-using-fake-consumer-group-to-scuttle-eugene-oregons-environmental-reforms/>
"Back in 2016, we noted how Florida utilities had resorted to creating fake
consumer groups to try and scuttle legislation aimed at ramping up solar
competition and adoption in the state. The tactic is generally used to create
the illusion of support for shitty, anti-competitive policies, and it’s been a
common tactic in the U.S. broadband industry for as long as I can remember.
Eugene, Oregon recently passed a new city ordinance that would require that all
new residential construction in the city be fossil-fuel free (aka: utilizing
more efficient heat pumps instead of oil or natural gas furnaces, or installing
new electric stoves instead of gas stoves):
“We have seen a lot of evidence … that natural gas does not support healthy
air quality for our children,” Councilor Lyndsie Leech told her colleagues
just before the vote on February 6. By phasing out fossil fuels in new
homes, she said the council was “building the city that we want to see in
the future.” Eugene’s mayor signed the ban shortly after it passed, and it
is expected to go into effect in June.
An estimated 90 counties or cities have pursued similar efforts.
Unsurprisingly, traditional utilities aren’t exactly keen on this. But instead
of debating the ordinance directly as themselves, gas utilities like NW Natural
instead decided to create a fake consumer groups with names such as Eugene
Residents for Energy Choice and Eugene for Energy Choice."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
