The focus of the 10th Harvesting Clean Energy Conference is on promoting clean power sources, but members of the Tri-Cities Tea Party said Sunday that the United States should pursue development of all forms of energy to create jobs.
"We came to let everyone know that we believe we need all of it. Drill now (for oil), build more nuclear power plants," said Leon Howard, coordinator. "Solar and wind can't do it all."
Holding signs that read, "Global warming is a lie" or "No to cap and trade," at least 25 members of the Tri-Cities Tea Party demonstrated outside an entrance to the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, where the conference opened Sunday.
Tri-Cities Tea Party President Jerry Martin said domestic oil reserves, including those in Montana, the Dakotas and offshore need to be tapped and more nuclear power plants should be permitted.
"Nuclear has to be part of it," Martin said.
Clean energy alone also cannot immediately put people to work, he said.
"With green energy, to create and sustain any jobs, you are talking a minimum of 10 years," he said.
Several people attending the conference walked over to the entrance to speak with Tea Party members. Surveying a program outlining some of the conference workshops, Martin said, "It looks like they are doing some usable things."
Tea Party members had planned to protest an expected keynote speech by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., on Sunday over cap and trade legislation in Congress. But the massive snowstorm that hit the nation's capitol kept Cantwell in Washington.
Tea Party members say the cap and trade legislation would cost U.S. jobs and raise energy costs.
But Cantwell's office said a bill she and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, have sponsored -- the CLEAR Act -- would curb pollution, spark job growth in clean energy technology and return money to consumers by selling "carbon shares" to producers of fuel and return most of the money in checks to individuals.
-- Herald staff
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Parade wasn't hijacked
Parade wasn't hijacked
To correct Joshua Flowers interpretation of the Veterans Day Parade in West Richland being "hijacked" (Letters, Nov. 11), it should be made clear that this was the Tri-Cities Tea Party's third year participating in the parade (we are three years old), the "giant" sign -- Taxed Enough Already -- was 2 feet by 3 feet and is what "TEA" in tea party stands for. The sign on the vehicle said "Tri-Cities Tea Party" and our other, larger sign said: "Tri-Cities TEA Party honors our Veterans!" and "God bless our Warriors!" The car carried a Korean War veteran as a passenger.
We handed out hundreds of American flags and copies of the Constitution and, as the flag bearer for our entry in the parade, I heard much applause and witnessed many salutes to the flag I carried. I heard no boos from the spectators, but anything is possible.
We honor our veterans at all our events and many of us are tea party members and veterans! We make no political statements in the parades and do not hand out any tea party literature.
Community Conversation: Who are these guys?!
Community Conversation: Who are these guys?!
By Jerry Martin, Special to the Tri-City Herald
At the recent Community Conversation on the tea party movement sponsored by the Tri-City Herald and the Dispute Resolution Center of Tri-Cities, participants were invited to submit essays.
For members of the Tri-Cities tea party, the event was a great opportunity to let the community know more about who we are and what we represent.
Occupy Tri-Cities
Occupy Tri-Cities
The enthusiastic report Oct. 16, "Hundreds gather for Occupy Tri-Cities," is a prime example of liberal bias in the Tri-City Herald. The headline that hundreds were present was equally misleading.
I attended the rally and my photos show a "crowd" of about 60 people at noon. The "crowd" swelled to about 75 at 12:15 p.m. and grew to a maximum of about 80 at 12:45 p.m.
The people there represented liberals, union members and anti-war activists. Their professionally printed signs said "We Are One" and "Stop the War on Workers."
DOE seeks way to streamline Hanford land transfers
DOE seeks way to streamline Hanford land transfers
The Department of Energy is looking for ways to streamline the process of transferring unneeded land for new uses at Hanford and other sites that have environmentally clean property.
It is moving its Asset Revitalization Initiative into Phase II with new leadership and a plan that includes promoting public-private partnerships and commercial opportunities. It also calls for engaging local communities as decisions are made about land as environmental cleanup is completed.
The Tri-City Development Council has asked for 1,341 acres of Hanford land next to Richland city limits for economic development to help replace jobs being lost at Hanford. It is joined in the request by Richland, the Port of Benton and Benton County.
Tri-City Muslims building relationships
Tri-City Muslims building relationships
When a rock broke a window of the Islamic Center of Tri-Cities four months ago, other Tri-City congregations sent more than enough money to replace the window of the West Richland mosque.
That's the sort of outpouring of support that Tri-City Muslims have seen in the decade following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
Some Tri-City Muslims feel as if they were attacked on two fronts, as Americans concerned for their country and with their faith becoming a target.
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