By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Last week, Chip Beeker joined Gary Palmer and a half dozen other candidates at the monthly dinner meeting of the Republican Women of Trussville (RWOT).
Beeker said that he was running for Public Service Commission Place 2 in the Republican Party Primary Runoff on Tuesday, July 15.
“The country is on a slide like we have never seen before,” Beeker said, “The nation is in a lot of trouble and is being run by the executive order of the day. The President has just ordered that we cut carbon emissions without even consulting with the Congress. That is absolutely reprehensible.”
Beeker said, “The natural resources come from God they are not to be regulated by one person.” Beeker said that the people in the state of California tried this and they have brown outs and dark outs all the time because of it.
As the head of the County Commission in Greene County Beeker has been in a fight with radical environmentalists , when they tried to close down the steam plant in Greene County. The debate wasn’t reasonable. “The Greene County steam plant was over half of our revenue. We could not operate as a county without that steam plant.” Beeker said that he won that fight and the Greene County steam plant is still open today.
Greene said that he is a capitalist and would like to see the various energy sources including: coal, natural gas, wind, nuclear, and solar compete on a level playing field. “I believe in the capitalistic system.” “If solar is cheaper use it.”
Beeker said that because of the regulations due to the environmental extremists we are losing some plants in the TVA. Some of our businesses are leaving for Mexico and China where they will face less regulations. Beeker said that they are building new steam plants in China and India regularly.
Beeker said that he opposes formal hearings on rates. “Do not give the court system and the PSC over to the environmentalists.” “Do not have them come to present their cause.” When you do that they take over. They will send a bunch of lawyers and then send another bunch of lawyers. After a while the EPA or the radical environmentalists get their way. That is what happened in Georgia. They closed down 15 coal plants in Georgia. I will never vote to give them a platform here.
Beeker said that wind energy might work out in the plains but we don’t have the constant and consistent wind for it to work here.
Beeker said, I am honored to be standing up here. “I am asking for your vote I sure would appreciate it.”
Chip Beeker is a cattleman, catfish farmer, businessman, and former County Commissioner from Greene County.
The Republican Primary Runoff is July 15. Beeker’s opponent is incumbent PSC Commissioner Terry Dunn (R). Many business groups in Alabama have endorsed Beeker over Commissioner Dunn.
