North Carolina moved one step closer to legalizing hydraulic fracturing (fracking) today when the Senate passed SB 820 and passed it along to the House. The bill would revive an old mining commission to propose laws to safely allow drilling in the state, which would then be brought before the General Assembly for final approval [...]
Andrew Blackburn's Archives
Occupy’s Presence Persists
It’s day four since Occupy Raleigh’s exodus from their campsite (located where Hillsborough Street and Edenton Street meet), but signs of their occupation remain. Despite a day of “beautification” and tearing down camp, piles of trash, camping supplies, and “artwork” still remain. Scavengers appear to have picked through any construction supplies that may still be [...]
Supply, Demand, and Green Energy
Examples have been abundant for years that government subsidies of the green movement are nothing but bad news, and they’re not slowing down. With Solyndra’s collapse still fresh in the public’s mind, a new report has found that despite ghastly amounts of money poured into green jobs, the industry is buckling under pressure to perform. [...]
Certificate of Need Under Review
The Civitas Institute has put together a five part article series examining the usefulness and practicality of the Certificate of Need (CON) program, a centrally-planned program controlling almost all healthcare organizations in the state. It arrives just as state legislators are beginning to review the system’s impacts and usefulness. The series is intended to educate [...]
Warning Signs
As I’ve said before, it’s a rash thing to jump into the “green” movement due to simplistic ideals of saving the planet and being a good person. More thought is required. Proof is offered in Evergreen Solar Inc.’s filing for bankruptcy. Even with $58 million in financial aid, the Massachusetts green energy company went under, [...]
