KFTC joins chorus against Duke Power appointment

KFTC has joined citizens groups in three other states where Duke Power Co. operates to tell the Obama transition team that the Jim Rogers, the utility's CEO, is not a good choice for Energy Secretary.  The groups are urging their members to contact the transition team and express their opposition to Roger's appointment.

You may add your voice to this growing chorus here.

Rogers represents "business-as-usual" and not the "change we can believe in." As head of one of the largest U.S. power companies, Rogers’ idea of change is finding creative ways to "green-wash" his corporate image while building highly polluting coal and nuclear plants and opposing widespread adoption of energy efficiency and renewable power sources.

Roger's admits his coal-fired power plants add to climate disruption, but insists on trying to build two more of them – without carbon capture – rather than moving to close existing plants or promote genuine energy efficiency plans.

Rogers has been named by the Washington Post and other media outlets as a leading candidates for the energy post. That decision could be announced this week.

Upon first reports of this possibility, organizations in Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina began mobilizing members and allies across the nation to tell the Obama Transition Team that Rogers is not an acceptable choice. Due to the high volume of phone calls early this week, Obama staffers began insisting callers revert to sending emails via the transition web site.

The nation’s growing clean energy economy needs strong leadership at the Department of Energy if Mr. Obama is to carry out his promised transition to green energy and energy independence.  He should not appoint someone who would regulate his own industry; that political strategy has proven to be a recurring failure in the Bush administration.

Jim Rogers is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Read more from the Institute for Southern Studies.