September 07, 2011
Wednesday AM

Dear Community Leaders [Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly]:

I hope that this finds you well after a busy summer.

As a resident and taxpaying citizen (both local and federal), it is quite concerning that renewable energy programs made available by and through federal grants cannot be funded because of the obscurity of hiding behind regulation and not adhering to law nor the best interests of the environmentally conscious property owner.

As a  point of residential contention, the objectives of energy are twofold, first, the “exemption” of Ketchikan Public Utilities has placed on residents that have a ways and means to erect renewable energy and “net metering [1], [2], [3] monitoring installation.  The innovative resident searches for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, contribute to their own fiscal responsibility by lowering their power draw from the Ketchikan electric grid with renewable technologies.  This is unacceptable for which it needs to be challenged administratively as well as legally.

The residential second contention is that the property owner is “prohibited” from erecting and installing a wind collection tower for wind generated power.  Likewise and directly related to “net metering”, residents that are federally taxed are unable to apply for federal and State of Alaska renewable energy grants (they could apply and qualify), more appropriately, cannot erect wind collection in or on their property.  In fact, it has been stated that one or several residents in the past have erected devices only to be face legal challenge of removing them from service. This is unacceptable for which it needs to be challenged administratively as well as legally.

I am sure that you are well aware of letters that are published in SitNews, for which I issued a challenge to both Borough and City: Adopt an energy stance that is sustainable and is best for each end user.  The current “hegemony” of energy is not acceptable.  Because there is no policy, there is no accountability by either government entities and it is unacceptable.

I look forward to your written response.

Sincerely,

Ed “Mongo” Fry
Pond Reef Resident
Ketchikan, AK