From Carolina Public Press:

A hearing has yet to be scheduled, but the debate has already started over statewide energy policy legislation introduced last week by Rep. Mike Hager (R-Rutherfordton).

Hager’s Affordable and Reliable Energy Act would rollback legislation passed in 2007 requiring electricity producers to include renewable sources in their energy production portfolio.

Hager, a former Duke Energy engineer, has said he is opposed to government subsidies for renewable energy sources.

Environmental groups indicated they’ll fight the change. Last week, Greenpeace accused Hager of helping reward his former employer and said the new legislation resembles model bills put out by the American Legislative Exchange Council, which is funded in part by oil and gas industry interests.

The bill freezes the state’s renewable requirements at 3 percent. The law would have required 12.5 percent of electricity production to come from renewable sources by 2025.