Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Letter to the Editor - Drew Martin on Solar in Lake Worth (Beach)



Letter to the Editor
Palm Beach Post
July 17, 2019 2019
Lake Worth throws shade on rooftop solar power

Twenty years ago I served on the Climate Change Committee for Lake Worth. The purpose of the committee was to establish policies that would make the city, now called Lake Worth Beach, more resilient to climate change.

Lake Worth Beach is now attempting to institute policies to discourage residents from installing solar power systems on their homes. On plastic single-use, the city has failed to take action to reduce its vendors at the Lake Worth Casino from offering single use plastics.

On solar installation, the city will vote to adopt a policy to discourage rooftop solar. It will put a solar limit of 10 kilowatts on city residents and businesses. It will not permit battery storage with solar installations, with the result that citizens will not have battery-stored power during outages. This will endanger the health and safety of residents. Solar provides a non-polluting and ultimately less expensive form of energy. With solar installations, citizens and businesses can profit from selling electricity back to the city utility. They will help prevent the long-term negative impacts of sea-level rise by reducing carbon.

Drew Martin, Lake Worth Beach

Editor’s note: Martin is conservation chair, Loxahatchee Group, Sierra Club.

This was discussed by the public during public commentary at last night's commission meeting.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Drew.

Anonymous said...

Is there a reason for this on the part of the City? The question is why?

Lynn Anderson said...

Some sort of legality. It will be straightened up in August.

Anonymous said...

I just wish Drew would stop riding his bike on the sidewalk going in the opposite direction of cars crossing the LW bridge to the beach. Why does he do this? People are walking on the sidewalk. It clearly says in many areas, no bikes on sidewalks. Drew please follow our bike laws and ride your bike in the road on the correct side of the street, not on sidewalks or the bridge where people are walking. Please us a little more common sense friend!? Are you that lazy to cross over to Lake Ave and then cross over to the beach? THINK!

Anonymous said...

You're supposed to walk facing the oncoming traffic. That was always the rule, but people don't seem to know that. Bicycles are probably not supposed to be on the sidewalk in any direction, but it's awfully dangerous riding in the street. Too many cars! Too many people!