Definitions and Topic Background Handout

Tschetter

2008-2009 Topic Paragraph developed by the framers of the resolution

The demand for energy worldwide is expected to grow over 50 percent by 2030, and most
economies are fundamentally fossil-fuel based. International competition for these fossil fuels is
growing intense and access to oil especially is often located in places that are geographically hard to
reach and geopolitically challenging. The United States federal government needs to articulate a
sound and sustainable energy policy that pursues alternative energy resources, so that it has access
to available, sustainable and secure sources that move the country away from its addiction to fossil
fuels. Affirmative plans would require the use of incentives to promote alternative energy sources,
including but not limited to solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and nuclear power, as well as,
biofuels, hydrogen fuels, new technologies and conservation measures. Negative approaches to the
topic would include a number of case specific solvency debates, the problems and impacts of using
government incentives and many different disadvantage scenarios such as foreign policy
implications of decreasing oil imports, collapse of economies such as those of the Middle East and
Russia and disadvantages specific to particular affirmative solutions. Counterplan ground might
include states/private industry, as well as international solutions, and critical argumentation might
include capitalism and the environment. Current federal policy tends to support big oil and other
fossil fuel companies; ultimately, our very civilization will pay a high price for our lack of oversight
and action on the issue of energy.
Substantially
Words and Phrases, Vol 40, 1964 p. 761. (citing the court case Bank of Chatham v. Arendall)
Substantial is defined as “important essential, material”

Words and Phrases, Vol 40, 1964 p. 761. (citing White v. City of Ottawa) Illinois Court of
Appeals wrote
“Substantial means in substance, in the mail, essential, including material or essential part.”

Landau, Sidney. Cambridge Dictionary of American English, 2000, p. 867.

“Substantial: large in size, value, or importance”

Lindberg, Christine. (editor) Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition, 2007, p. 1369.
“Substantial: of considerable importance; size; or worth”

Lindberg, Christine. (editor) Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition, 2007, p. 1369.
“Substantially: to a great of significant extent”

Increase

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged 1981, p. 1145.

Increase: to make greater in some respect (as in bulk, quantity, extent, value, or amount)

Corpus Juris Secundum, Vol. 42, 1944, p. 546

“The term presupposes the existence in some measure, or to some extent, of something which may
be enlarged, connotes a change or alteration in the original and has been defined as meaning to
extend or enlarge in size, extent, quantity, number, intensity, value, substance, etc.”

Corpus Juris Secundum, Vol. 42, 1944, p. 546

Increase: It is derived from ‘cresco,’ to grow and implies the existence of something made, or to be
made, the subject of the increase.”

2007 Words and Phrases Cumulative Supplementary Pamphlet, Vol 20A, 2007, p. 76.
“A durational modification of child support is as much an ‘increase’ as a monetary modification.”
Alternative Energy

Simon, Christopher (professor of political science U of Nevada-Reno). Alternative Energy:

Political, Economic, and Social Feasibility, 2007, p. 39-40.
“The federal definition of alternative energy is best summarized by Title 25, Chapter 79 %7701 of
the revised US Code: “The term ‘alternative energy facility’ means a facility for producing electrical
or thermal energy if the primary energy source for the facility is not oil, natural gas, coal, or nuclear
power.” The primary purpose of this definition relates to the issuance if tax credits to ‘alternative
energy facilities,’ which meet certain standards as defined in Title 26 Chapter 1 %48 “Energy
Credit”. Tax credits are one method by which the federal government encourages the private sector
to make certain economic choices; in the case of energy policy, this definition of alternative energy
will have a definitive impact on how alternative energy will be defined by those individuals and
corporate bodies seeking federal recognition (and benefit) by adopting a particular definition of
alternative energy.”

Gunkel, Darrin (journalist). Alternative Energy Sources. 2006, p. 72.

“But the unfortunate fact is that fossil-fuel use creates greenhouse gases that many scientists believe
cause global warming. To address the problem, many experts argue that nations should transition to
clean, renewable energy. Indeed, many consider alternative energy synonymous with clean energy.”

American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Alternative Energy, 2007. retrieved June 24,
2008 http://www.professionalpractice.asme.org/
“In the broadest sense, alternative energy is defined as any technology that that does not
harm the environment or deplete the Earth’s natural resources. It reduces or eliminates the
environmental impact of primary energy production, consumption, and generation. It's also
sometimes called the "clean energy industry". For the most part, when people speak of
clean energy, they mean solar energy, geothermal or wind power, and biofuels.”

Boxer, Barbara (Senator from California). Senators’ Perspectives on Global Warming Senate
Hearing. January 30, 2007. p. 78.
“Senator, I also thank you for making the distinction between alternative fuels and renewable fuels
because when the Present talks about alternatives, we don’t know that they are clean. We don’t
know that they will necessarily help us with the greenhouse gas emissions. So there are lots of
things we have to be wary of.”

Schlinger, Neil (journalist). Alternative Energy. 2006 p. 84.

As of early 2006, the closest thing to an alternative-energy ‘revolution” is what is happening in
wind power: large windmills have been the cheapest, most rapidly-growing source of new
electricity worldwide since the early 2000’s.”

Schlinger, Neil (journalist). Alternative Energy. 2006 p. 324.

“As fossil fuels become increasingly more expensive and eventually are depleted, alternative
energy, including wind, solar, tidal, and wave power generated locally, may contribute to a sense of
people belonging to communities rather than to large anonymous societies. Decsions about power
supplies and distribution would be made close to home in response to local needs.”

Clinton, Hillary (US Senator from NY). Senators’ Perspectives on Global Warming Senate
Hearing. January 30, 2007. p. 46.
“Energy efficiency is an enormous and underutilized energy resource. It’s the fastest, cheapest, and
cleanest solution, and we ought to be doing more. California has done a particularly good job on
efficiency, holding electricity use flat for the last 30 years and the economy has boomed.”
Kooser, Amanda (staff). Make Alternative Energy Your Business. 12-1-2006.
www.entrepreneur.com retrieved June 22, 2008.
“Some major alternative energy browth areas include solar, hydrogen, bio-fuel, fuel cells and energy
conservation technologies.”

Schlinger, Neil (journalist). Alternative Energy. 2006 p. 337.

“While scientists and engineers search for alternatives to fossil fuels that are clean abundant, safe,
and inexpensive, other important alternatives are available to businesses, governments, and other
energy consumers: finding ways to reduce energy use and using energy more wisely and efficiently.
For the foreseeable future, solar power, wind energy, and other alternatives are likely to function
mainly as supplements to fossil fuels.”

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (PL109-58). August 8, 2006 Section 741, Alternative Fuel.
“The term “alternative fuel” means—(A) liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, liquefied
petroleum gas, hydrogen, or natural gas, compressed with natural gas, hydrogen, or propane; (B)
methanol or ethanol at no less than 85 percent by volume or: (C)biodiesel conforming with
standards published by the American Society for Testing and Materials as of the date of enactment
of this Act.”

Simon, Christopher (professor of political science U of Nevada-Reno). Alternative Energy:

Political, Economic, and Social Feasibility, 2007, p. 41.
“At the federal level, the expansion of nuclear energy policy has been proposed as a form of
alternative energy, replacing the use of hydrocarbons to produce electrical or thermal energy.”

Schlinger, Neil (journalist). Alternative Energy. 2006 p.380.

“Most sources of ‘alternative’ energy—which usually means energy from any source other than
fossil fuels and nuclear fission—depend on obvious, natural sources of energy. The sun bathes
Earth with light, which can either be turned into electricity or used directly for light or heat. The
wind and rivers are loaded with kinetic energy (the energy of matter in motion). Tides raise and
lower the sea, and hold a potentially useable source of energy.”

Schlinger, Neil (journalist). Alternative Energy. 2006 p. 162.

“Using hydrogen as an alternative energy source would have numerous impacts. Perhaps the
biggest would be in the environmental arena, as the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles
could drastically reduce the pollution that contributes to global warming, depending on the
production method. In addition, because the fossil fuels that currently are used for most of the
world’s power will someday run out, society will need to find alternative energy sources to power
its homes, businesses and transportation needs. Hydrogen can be an important part of this
alternative future.”

Scheer, Hermann. Energy autonomy: The Economic, Social and Techological Case for
Renewable Energy. 2007.p. 197.
“The oft-cited statement, ‘the greatest energy source is energy conservation,’ is wrong on two
counts: first, energy conservation is not an energy source but instead simply reduces the demand
for energy: and second, with nonrenewable energy the potential for energy conservation is always
smaller than the amount of non-renewable energy’s total consumption.”
Incentive

Collins English Dictionary, 2006, p. 821.

“Incentive: Serving to incite to action.”

Agnes, Michael. Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition, 2006, p. 721.
“Incentive: something that stimulates one to take action, work harder, etc: stimulus,
encouragement.”

Lindberg, Christine (editor). Oxford College Dictionary 2nd edition 2007 p. 685.
“Incentive: a thing that motivates or encourages one to do something; example incentive to
conserve.”

Cutler, Cleveland and Christopher Morris (Director, Center for Energy & Environmental
Sudies, Boston U/ chief editor Macmillan School Dictionary Series) Dictionary of Energy.
2006, p. 224.
“Incentive-based: Describing a regulation that uses the economic behavior of firms and households
to attain desired environmental goals. Incentive-based programs involve taxes on emissions or
tradable emission permits.”

Park, Chris (Director of Grad Studies at Lancaster U). A Dictionary of Environment and
Conservation. 2007, p. 224.
“Incentive-based regulation: A government regulation (such as a tradable emissions allowance) that
is designed to induce changes in the behaviour of individuals or firms, in order to produce
environmental, social, or economic benefits that would otherwise be prescribed by legislation.”

Caton, Jerald (Professor Mechanical Engineering Texas A and M University).

Environmentally Conscious Alternative Energy Production. 2007, p. 130.
“With respect to electrical power production, certain governmental regulations were passed during
the late 1970s, which removed barriers and provided incentives to encourage cogeneration
development.”

Brau, Rinaldo (Prof Economics U of Cagliari). Critical Issues in Environmental Taxation.

Vol. III, 2006 p. 614-615.
“The easiest participation incentive is providing firms with a subsidy, which induces a downward
shirt of the supply curve and, under some regularity conditions on the demand side, an increase in
their profits.”

Kreister, Larry (professor of accounting at Cleveland State University ). Critical Issues in

Environmental Taxation. Vol. III, 2006 p. 463.
“There are three tax incentives in the IRC (Internal Revenue Code) for solar power development.
These three tax incentives are: 1) Taxpayers are allowed a 10 percent energy credit for investments
in solar power property which are placed in service during the year. (Sec 48) The energy credit is
equivalent to a 10 percent reduction in the purchase price of solar power property. 2) Taxpayers
need only reduce the basis of the solar power property by 50 percent of the energy credit thereby
allowing a larger basis for depreciation purposes. 3) Taxpayers are allowed to depreciate solar
power property over five years for tax purposes even though the property’s economic life coule be
20 years or more.”
Harrington, Winston (prof of public policy at Georgetown). The RFF Reader in
Environmental and Resource Policy. 2nd Edition 2006. p.66.
“Environmental policies can rely more on direct regulation (the command-and-control or CAC
approach) or, alternatively, on economic incentives for environmental protection.”

Kreister, Larry (professor of accounting at Cleveland State University ). Critical Issues in

Environmental Taxation. Vol. III, 2006 p. 466.
“Besides tax incentives, governmental quthorities can also use non-tax incentives to foster solar
power development. Some non-tax incentives include: Direct Investment Incentives (Grants)—
governmental authories provide grants where cost sharing with investors facilitates the early
development of solar power. Research and Development Programs—governmental authorities
support R&D programs involving solar power which engage in basic research, applied research and
cooperative research and testing. Green Marketing/Pricing—governmental authorities support
voluntary programs where customers pay a premium price to purchase solar power.”

Brau, Rinaldo (Prof Economics U of Cagliari). Critical Issues in Environmental Taxation.

Vol. III, 2006 p. 593.
“Environmental policy instruments are usually classified into three broad categories. The first
category, which includes environmental taxes, subsidies and emission trading schemes, is that of
economic instruments that provide economic agents with financial incentives to reduce
environmental damage. The second category is that of regulatory instruments, which embraces
traditional command-and-control policies such as emission standards, whereby public authorties
directly establish the environmental performance to be achieved, or the technologies to be used.
The third category, which constitutes the subject of this paper, is that of voluntary approaches
(henceforth VAs), whereby firms make commitments to improve their environmental performance
beyond what is required by the law.