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Proposal for green energy takes initiative
The Environmental Task Force seeks approval from general election, bypassing senate
Aleks Cherednichenko
Issue date: 2/27/07 Section: News
The Green Energy Fee, which proponents say would help convert OSU's power sources to 100 percent renewable forms of energy and was proposed by ASOSU's Environmental Affairs task force. will not be voted on by the ASOSU Undergraduate Senate.
Instead, the task force has decided to take the proposed fee through the initiative process.
"This student fee would help pay for the difference in price between conventional energy and clean energy," said Andrea Norris, director of Environmental Affairs task force and a senior majoring in fish and wildlife studies.
Over 20 volunteers for the task force will be collecting signatures in the MU Quad today, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.
"We need to collect 969 signatures, that's five percent of OSU's student body, in order to get the green energy fee on the ASOSU general election ballot," Norris said. If the measure passes, energy providers across the state, who supply wind and solar power, would bid for a contract with OSU.
"One of the potential bidders could be the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which generates mostly wind power," Norris said. "The contract wouldn't involve any on site production, we would just be purchasing renewable energy," Norris said.
The task force does plan to ask the bidding energy providers for "re-investment funds" which would give money back to OSU for projects that would lead to on-site renewable energy structures.
On Feb. 23, the Student Incidental Fees Committee decided not to vote on the Green Energy Fee proposal.
"I think that it probably turned out for the best, this initiative will now be decided by students," said Alan Dennis, Environmental Affairs task force staff volunteer. "Why shouldn't students decide on issues like this?"
"I'm really excited to get this issue out on the ballot," Norris said. "I'm confident that we can get through to the students that wouldn't normally have voted at all."
The Student Incidental Fees Committee decided that the green energy fee proposal didn't fit the guidelines of educational, physical or cultural development for OSU.
"As Undergraduate Senate chair I don't get to vote on the issues, but I disagreed with SIFC's interpretation of the proposal," said Julien Deveraux, ASOSU Undergraduate Senate chair
"The proposal should have qualified as educational development," Deveraux said, although he disagrees with the Student Incidental Fees Committee's decision, he does think that the proposed green energy fee should be optional.
"I would have liked to see the Undergraduate Senate discuss this issue, but I don't know if the task force would have enough time to put the proposal on the ballot if it went through the Senate," Deveraux said. "I do, however, think that this is something we should review."
Instead, the task force has decided to take the proposed fee through the initiative process.
"This student fee would help pay for the difference in price between conventional energy and clean energy," said Andrea Norris, director of Environmental Affairs task force and a senior majoring in fish and wildlife studies.
Over 20 volunteers for the task force will be collecting signatures in the MU Quad today, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.
"We need to collect 969 signatures, that's five percent of OSU's student body, in order to get the green energy fee on the ASOSU general election ballot," Norris said. If the measure passes, energy providers across the state, who supply wind and solar power, would bid for a contract with OSU.
"One of the potential bidders could be the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, which generates mostly wind power," Norris said. "The contract wouldn't involve any on site production, we would just be purchasing renewable energy," Norris said.
The task force does plan to ask the bidding energy providers for "re-investment funds" which would give money back to OSU for projects that would lead to on-site renewable energy structures.
On Feb. 23, the Student Incidental Fees Committee decided not to vote on the Green Energy Fee proposal.
"I think that it probably turned out for the best, this initiative will now be decided by students," said Alan Dennis, Environmental Affairs task force staff volunteer. "Why shouldn't students decide on issues like this?"
"I'm really excited to get this issue out on the ballot," Norris said. "I'm confident that we can get through to the students that wouldn't normally have voted at all."
The Student Incidental Fees Committee decided that the green energy fee proposal didn't fit the guidelines of educational, physical or cultural development for OSU.
"As Undergraduate Senate chair I don't get to vote on the issues, but I disagreed with SIFC's interpretation of the proposal," said Julien Deveraux, ASOSU Undergraduate Senate chair
"The proposal should have qualified as educational development," Deveraux said, although he disagrees with the Student Incidental Fees Committee's decision, he does think that the proposed green energy fee should be optional.
"I would have liked to see the Undergraduate Senate discuss this issue, but I don't know if the task force would have enough time to put the proposal on the ballot if it went through the Senate," Deveraux said. "I do, however, think that this is something we should review."
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