Renewable energy supporters back Sink for Florida governor, tussle with Scott

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink spoke June 29 to the Clean Energy Congress in Tallahassee. A spokesman for Rick Scott, her Republican opponent for governor, said she was promoting "policies that will only cost more jobs."

Some renewable energy supporters who are backing Democrat Alex Sink for governor said Wednesday that her Republican opponent, Rick Scott, should explain more about his support for nuclear energy.

The Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy (FARE) endorsed Sink on Tuesday, calling her the "clear and easy choice" for the future of renewable energy in Florida. (Read news release by clicking here).

The Scott campaign on Tuesday criticized Sink for her support for renewable energy following a speech she gave in Delray Beach and said she was promoting "policies that will only cost more jobs." Plus a campaign spokesman said Scott will work toward energy independence with "the expansion of nuclear power, the use of alternative fuels and ensure that we can drill safely for oil."

In April, a pair of research studies reported that Florida could generate more than 50,000 jobs by adopting policies that promote renewable energy. (See "Energy efficiency + renewables=jobs, studies say.")

On Wednesday, FARE responded to Scott by saying that he had "attacked" businessmen and farmers who believe that renewable energy is the path to creating more jobs and growing Florida's economy.

Executive director Mike Anthiel said in an e-mail news release that Scott should say how much nuclear energy will cost ratepayers and to acknowledge that he's just advocating for the one or two companies who are capable of building nuclear reactors.

"Widespread renewable energy, at a fraction of the cost of nuclear, will create the tens of thousands of jobs and attract billions of dollars in private investments that the state desperately needs," Anthiel said. There was no response from the Scott campaign.

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