Local Chamber Praises Wind Energy as Key to Economic Development

At a recent roundtable hosted by Chambers for Innovation and Conservatives for Clean Energy, Lt. Gen. John Castellaw, Rep. John Szoka (R-45) and Holly Grange (R-20) addressed the question: Are the growing economic developments of wind energy compatible with military operations in North Carolina?

Rep. Bob Steinberg and Lt. Gen. Castellaw

The answer: A resounding yes.

"The bottom line is the military already has an effective, non-political, non-emotional, just-the-facts, well-established process for making sure that wind and other energy projects are compatible with operations and promote our national security. Imposing blanket restrictions on wind development in the name of national security can make us more insecure."

-- Lt. Gen. Castellaw, served 36 years in the Marine Corps including nearly 10 years flying over eastern North Carolina.

Rep. John Szoka

 “We need safe military operations, new energy resources for ratepayers and the benefits of increasing the property tax base for rural counties. I am personally satisfied that wind operations effects are negligible on military training. Recent congressional action that further clarifies the Department of Defense Clearing House procedures, including mandatory involvement of local bases, should remove any remaining doubt to those who may be skeptical of wind.”

-- Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland), is a retired Army Colonel who represents Ft. Bragg in the General Assembly.

“The Edenton-Chowan Chamber is grateful to Lt. Gen. Castellaw and Reps. Szoka and Grange for taking the time to ensure that other members of the legislature have factual knowledge about wind energy’s present and future impact on military operations in our state. We applaud these efforts to educate their peers on how critical the Northeastern North Carolina wind projects and resulting economic benefits are to the growth, prosperity and sustainability for a region like ours.”

-- Win Dale, Executive Director of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce, said after the event.

NC Chambers & Military Focus on Clean Energy Growth

Lieutenant General Kenneth E. Eickmann was once responsible for a budget of $11 billion, a staff of 22,000, and some 2,800 programs for the U.S. Air Force.

He also was responsible for leading the federal rescue and recovery efforts following the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City.

But when he came to North Carolina recently to brief chamber leaders from Durham, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Morrisville and elsewhere, it was because he was thinking about another critical component to national security: the one that depends on growing demand for clean energy.

“If the grid goes down, the [military] base goes down,” Eickmann said. Updating America’s electrical grid and allowing new energy technologies to emerge are essential to improved national security, he said.

More than 60 chamber and utility, business, and political leaders, including from Duke, Honeywell, North Carolina Electric Membership Corp., and Sens. Burr and Tillis’s office, attended the briefing on the new U.S. Military Advisory Board report, National Security and Assured Electrical Power.

The Military Board’s recommendation: “Seize the opportunity to build the new grid, smarter, better, and cleaner.”

Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy and Conservatives for Clean Energy cosponsored the event in partnership with the Greater Raleigh Chamber, Wake County Economic Development, Research Triangle Regional Partnership, Cleantech Cluster, the North Carolina Defense Business Association, and the North Carolina Military Business Center.

Pictured above: Ewan Pritchard, North Carolina State University, Aaron Nelson, Chapel Hill– Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, Sarah Gaskell, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, Gen. Ken Eickmann, (retired USAF), Ed White, RTRP Cleantech Cluster, Jenn Bosser, Research Triangle Regional Partnership, John Sidebotham, Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce / Wake County Economic Development, Jennifer Behr, Chambers for Innovation & Clean Energy.