Clean energy forum slated for Saturday

As temperatures cool, clean energy remains a sizzling hot topic. Its effect on new jobs and new businesses will be explored in "Repowering Louisiana: A Public Forum on Clean Energy," to be presented by the St. Tammany Parish Library.

The forum, which is free and open to the public, will be Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at the Causeway Branch of the library.

"It will be a chance to learn about Louisiana's opportunity to create new jobs and businesses," said Mimi Nothacker, adult program librarian.

Panelists will make their presentations from 2-2:30 p.m. They are Laura Nevitt, state director of Repower Louisiana; Keith Villere, board member of the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council; Jesse George, legal counsel for the Alliance for Affordable Energy (based in New Orleans), and Bob Hesson, the founder of Acadian Solar and Insulation LLC (based in Covington).

Nevitt will represent the national grassroots efforts of Repower America to pass comprehensive clean energy legislation. Villere will offer his insights on "smart growth and urban planning, and how clean energy factors into those things."

George brings to the panel his experience working with the Public Service Commission on the State's Renewable Portfolio Standard, which would require a percentage of the energy produced by the state's utilities to come from renewable resources.

Hesson will offer his experience of years of working in the renewable energy sector in St. Tammany.

After the presentations, attendees will be able to ask questions. A reception from 3-4 p.m. will provide attendees opportunities to contact solar, efficiency, and recycling businesses, as well as nonprofit organizations.

Repower Louisiana is sponsoring the forum. Jack Harris, the group's state communications director, emphasized the importance of the topic.

"Clean energy is the future," he said.

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