Thursday, April 10, 2008

Delaware House of Representatives Votes Yes on Wind Power

The day didn't start well for wind power advocates, but brightened considerably before the sun went down.
The Delaware House of Representatives today voted in favor of offshore wind power by passing House Concurrent Resolution 38 by a vote of 25 to 11, with 3 not voting. (The Leg Hall website has the roll call.) One amendment, described as friendly, was incorporated into HCR 38, while a second amendment was defeated.
The day started with the ominous headline, "Report may doom offshore wind farm" on the front page of the News Journal. When I arrived in Leg Hall this afternoon, the majority and minority huddled in their respective caucuses to see how and whether HCR 38 would be considered. When the House was getting ready to reconvene about 4:30, word came down that the resolution would come to the floor for a vote.
After considering the two amendments, prime sponsor Bob Valihura said it's time to find out "which way the wind is blowing." Afterwards, he mentioned the broad support for wind power to News Journal reporter Jeff Montgomery:
"I think that's a significant vote, because it represented not only upstate and downstate, but it's also bipartisan," said Rep. Robert J. Valihura, R-Talleyville.
Next up is the Senate, where Harris McDowell has yet to release his feared committee report which got so much attention today. I'm guessing that his colleagues will feel slightly less willing to sign on to his anti wind power findings now that HCR 38 found its way to their in box with such a convincing margin.

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tommy do you have a list of how the reps. voted ??

9:27 PM, April 10, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oops the link was there thanks

9:29 PM, April 10, 2008  
Blogger Nancy Willing said...

Could you flesh out for your readers what the defeated amendment implied?

10:32 AM, April 11, 2008  
Blogger Tom Noyes said...

I'll have that later on.

10:42 AM, April 11, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As posted on-line.

YES: 22.
NO: Representatives Brady, Carson, Gilligan, Hall-Long, Johnson, Keeley, Kowalko, McWilliams, Mitchell, Mulrooney, Schooley, Schwartzkopf, B. Short, Viola & Williams - 15.
NOT VOTING: Representatives Marshall & Outten - 2.
ABSENT: Representatives Longhurst & Plant - 2.
Therefore, having received a constitutional majority, HA 1 to HCR 38 was declared passed.

1:47 PM, April 11, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I GOT IT WRONG!!!
That vote was for a resolution that was rejected.

Here's the right vote..

The roll call on HCR 38 w/HA 1 was taken and revealed:
YES: 25.
NO: Representatives Booth, Carey, Ewing, Hocker, Hudson, Lee, Maier, D. Short, Stone, Thornburg & Walls - 11.
NOT VOTING: Representatives Marshall, Outten & Wagner - 3.
ABSENT: Representatives Longhurst & Plant - 2.
Therefore, having received a constitutional majority, HCR 38 w/HA 1 was sent to the Senate for concurrence.
Representative Cathcart deferred to Representative Oberle.
Representative Oberle brought HS 1 for HB 206 w/SA 1, jointly sponsored by Senator DeLuca & Representative Carson, before the House for concurrence on SA 1.

2:00 PM, April 11, 2008  
Blogger Tom Noyes said...

Thanks for getting the right roll call, Bill.

The first roll call was for HA 1 to HCR 38, which was considered a friendly amendment based on the fact that it contained no enacting claus.

2:07 PM, April 11, 2008  
Blogger downwithabsolutes said...

I wonder why the always delectable Rep. Marshall abstained?

5:43 PM, April 11, 2008  
Blogger Tom Noyes said...

Melanie Marshall cited a conflict as her reason for not voting.

5:46 PM, April 11, 2008  

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