Action on climate, energy security could mean jobs

By Billy Keyserling
Mayor of Beaufort

Published Thursday, October 8, 2009

Comments (0) |

Feeds |

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island recently hosted a town hall forum, where retired four-star Gen. Robert Magnus discussed the ways environmental conditions, such as climate change, create a threat to our national security. The military's solution to dealing with these threats, combined with a national commitment to clean energy, translates into potential jobs for Beaufort County and South Carolina.

Magnus spoke about how the Department of Defense can help lead the transformation of U.S energy use by addressing its own security needs and serving as an incubator for new energy technologies. Those who attended the presentation learned that senior retired military leaders, including Magnus, have identified climate change as a "threat multiplier," which will make the most unstable places around the world even more fragile. Magnus also spoke of the ways in which every American and the military's energy use puts our troops at risk. His message was loud and clear: We must move to a clean and efficient energy economy for the sake of our national security, and the Department of Defense can lead the way.

As mayor of Beaufort, I walked away from the meeting thinking about how partnering with the military could bring clean, efficient energy jobs to our town and others around the state.

An answer: Strong federal policies to help build the emerging clean, efficient energy industry. Federal policy that increases the demand for clean, efficient energy will effectively put a foot on the accelerator of jobs and economic growth in Beaufort and the entire state of South Carolina.

If you talk with the commanding officers at our bases, which I do, you learn they are working hard to significantly reduce their own energy consumption. But I am convinced there are more and better ways we can serve our military and our country, and help Beaufort at the same time.

One example: A Beaufort entrepreneur recently told me that he is developing a battery charger that is powered by harnessing the tides in the Beaufort River. In the event his experiments move forward, and he is able to build a large battery charger, a contract to charge batteries for the three bases could be the start of a new industry in the Lowcountry. Furthermore, a Defense Department contract would undoubtedly help him raise the required capital to go into production.

Our state has lost more jobs than have been created in recent years, while clean energy jobs have been skyrocketing around the country. Nationwide, they have grown by 36. 2 percent, far outpacing other sectors.

Current federal climate and energy legislation being debated in Washington proposes $150 billion national investment in clean energy projects. If passed, South Carolina could see $2 billion in investment revenue, and 25,000 jobs, by one estimate, which would reduce our state's unemployment rate by 1.1 percent. Investment in wind alone could bring $1.65 billion and 4,964 jobs into the state. Researchers in Charleston already are working on this.

In Beaufort County, our three military bases might very well provide an instant market for the clean efficient energy industry. I am sure our senators in Washington understand the threats of climate change to national security and hope they also will see the economic development potential of clean energy. I encourage them to lead South Carolina and our nation into a better future by voting for strong climate and energy legislation.

Email Article | Print Article | RSS

Feeds |

| Search the Archive

For the latest legislative news from Columbia, visit S.C. Politics today:

Letters to the Editor

Letter guidelines

Letters to the editor are welcome. Letters must be 250 words or less and signed with your first and last names. Include your street address and daytime telephone number so we can verify the letter before publication. You are limited to one letter per 30 days. Letters may be edited for length, style, grammar, taste and libel. All letters submitted become the property of The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette and may be republished in any format. The Packet and the Gazette do not publish endorsement letters on the editorial page. Thank you letters are published in the Monday Lowcountry Life section.

How to reach us

Mail: P.O. Box 5727, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
Fax: 843-706-3070
Hand-delivered: 10 Buck Island Road, Bluffton or 1556 Salem Road, Beaufort
E-mail: letters@islandpacket.com or letters@beaufortgazette.com

Your Elected Officials

U.S. Congress

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-5972 Fax: (202) 224-1189
Sen. Jim DeMint (R)
U.S. Senate, 290 Russell, Washington, DC 20510
Office: (202) 224-6121 Fax: (202) 228-5143
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-District 2)
U.S. House, 212 Cannon, Washington, DC 20515
Office: (202) 225-2452 Fax: (202) 225-2455
Track S.C. officials in Congress

State Government

Gov. Mark Sanford (R)
Governor’s Office, State House, P.O. Box 12267, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-2100 Fax: (803) 734-5167
Senator Tom Davis(R-District 46)
P.O. Drawer 1107, Beaufort, 29901-1107
(843) 252-8583
602 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29201
Bus. (803) 212-6008
Rep. Curtis Brantley (D-District 122)
194 Bees Creek Rd., Ridgeland, 29936
(843) 726-5998
314D Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2965
Rep. Richard Chalk (R-District 123)
326C Blatt Building, Columbia, S.C. 29211-1867
Office: (803) 734-3067; Home: (843) 842-5985
15 Goldfinch Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Rep. Shannon S. Erickson (R-District 124)
(843) 986-1090
306A Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3261
Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R-District 118)
P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-3063; Home: (843) 757-5424
151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Rep. Kenneth F. Hodges (D-District 121)
PO Drawer 355, Green Pond, 29446
(843) 525-9006 Home (843) 844-8756
434B Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3062

Beaufort County

Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700
Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569
Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472
Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981
William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Fax:(843)838-8303
Home:(843)838-2264
Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
Fax:(843)846-4738
Office:(843)846-4830
Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-7115
Office:(843)379-7114
Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
Fax:(843)846-3601
Home:(843)846-2845
Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-9806
Office:(843)379-9805
Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723
Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-1380
Office:(843)379-1367

Beaufort County School District

District Office: 1300 King St., P.O. Drawer 309, Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 322-2300; fax: 322-2371
Hilton Head Island office, 689-4635; fax: 689-4617

Beaufort County Board of Education members

Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404
Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056;
Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968
Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113
Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638
Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192
Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373
Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327
Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776
Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163
George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
Home: 987-1234; cell: 812-9870

City of Beaufort

Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home)
Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work)
Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home)
Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687
Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)

Town of Hilton Head Island

Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600

Town Council

Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229
Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 686-2863
William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell
Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300
John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 785-4489; work: 785-4696; fax: 785-4696
George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 363-6601; fax: 363-6604
Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864