Featured
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 8, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/solar-power-minnesota/
This report, done for the Solar Works for Minnesota campaign, explores the value of solar power on schools, libraries, and other public buildings in Minnesota. It was co-authored by John Farrell of ILSR and Christina Mills of IEER. Download the Report Highlights Minnesotans spend more than $20 billion dollars every year on these energy imports…. Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/solar-permitting/vermont-streamlines-solar-permitting/
The state of Vermont has come up with a good rule for reducing the cost of solar power installations. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Vermont’s rule shifts the burden of… Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/solar-permitting/colorado-caps-solar-permitting-fees/
The state of Colorado passed a law in 2011 to solve the problem of inconsistent and expensive solar permitting costs. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Colorado’s Fair Permit Act (HB… Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/colorado-caps-solar-permitting-fees/
The state of Colorado passed a law in 2011 to solve the problem of inconsistent and expensive solar permitting costs. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Colorado’s Fair Permit Act (HB… Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Banking
| Written by
admin
|
| Updated on
May 17, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/market-share-caps/
In 1994, Congress adopted a policy that bars a bank from buying another bank if the combined entity would hold more than 10 percent of the country’s deposits, but the policy has several flaws that have allowed at least two banks to exceed the cap. Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
May 9, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/map-state-3rd-party-ppa-rules/
In lieu of smarter policy, schools, libraries, and city buildings hoping to install solar power have to resort to complex public-private partnerships to access federal tax incentives. One common strategy is the power purchase agreement (PPA). In essence, a PPA allows the public building owner to buy solar electricity on contract from a third party… Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Apr 26, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/authorizing-municipal-networks-1999-iowa-act-chapter-63/
Iowa expressly authorizes cities to build publicly owned networks. In 1999, the Iowa Legislature adopted changes to Chapter 63 of the Iowa Acts that defined legislative intent, giving local authorities the unquestionable right to invest in community owned networks. The new language added broadband to a list of common utilities that we often take for… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Apr 11, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/net-metering-cost-utilities-benefit-2/
Utilities often claim that allowing customers to run their meter backward (by generating electricity on-site, e.g. from rooftop solar) can affect their bottom line because these customers don’t pay enough to cover the cost of maintaining the grid. In at least one case, however, a utility’s cost-benefit analysis of net metering was turned on its… Continue reading
Rule
filed under
The Public Good
| Written by
David Morris
|
| Updated on
Apr 6, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/anti-privatization-initiatives/pacheco-law-massachusetts/
In 1993, after Massachusetts government privatized 36 operations in the previous 3 years, the legislature passed what came to be called the Pacheco Law over then-Governor William F. Weld’s veto. The law imposes the strictest series of tests in the nation before a service can be privatized. Continue reading
Rule
filed under
The Public Good
| Written by
David Morris
|
| Updated on
Apr 6, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/anti-privatization-initiatives/ban-privatizing-prisons-illinois/
In 1990 Illinois enacted a ban on private prisons which remains in place in 2012, declaring that “the management and operation of a correctional facility or institution involves functions that are inherently governmental.” Continue reading
