Energy
The headlines are frightening. After adjusting to higher prices at the gasoline pump, homeowners and businesses are preparing to adjust to dramatically higher heating prices. Last week, natural gas providers were asking for rate hikes that will total 25 to 30 percent over last year.
In a state where energy costs are already high, the news is even more distressing than elsewhere. It again points to the frailty that we have seen in these essential systems before – energy and health care. It seems we as a state have little control over rising costs, but it also seems that we as a state often are hit the hardest, particularly as it relates to energy.
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There are some things we can do, however. Inventories in Rhode Island remain lower than most places because of higher taxes, disincentives to the oil companies to keep greater reserves on hand.
There is probably little we can accomplish to change matters for this heating season, relying upon the federal government to take whatever steps it can to control the rising costs. But why don’t the governor and legislature establish blue ribbon committees to explore ways in which our state can develop programs that will better prepare us for such crises – in energy and health care?
For much too long, Rhode Island government has been reactive rather than responsive. We await a crisis before we consider how to cope with it, instead of anticipating situations and putting into place plans that will help ease any problems.
We urge Gov. Lincoln Almond and the legislature to jointly create blue ribbon panels to explore ways the state of Rhode Island can address the crisis both in energy and health care, with the intent to enact legislation in the next General Assembly session.
Appreciating higher ed
All too often we tend to downplay — or at worst, forget — the influence of our many colleges and universities. But it is an influence of which we should never lose sight.
These institutions of higher learning – organizations that play not on a local, but a world stage significantly impact our very economy. Consider the following two examples.
In this week’s Interview, Thomas Shepherd, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Neurotech, a fledgling biotechnology firm that is working to cure diseases of the eye, made it clear that the very presence of Brown University played a vital role in his company setting up shop in Lincoln.
”…there are collaborations with Brown University, where there is also experience with (cell) encapsulation,” said Shepherd. “It seemed to us to be a logical place to be. And in terms of future expansion, you’ve got universities, a growing biotechnology industry and it’s not that far from Boston.”
If Neurotech is successful in its efforts – if it develops a product that can help restore vision – it will be world news, not local news.
Example number two is found in South County, where the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resource Center has received a $10.3 million boost from the United States Agency for International Development. The $10.3 million represents a 30 percent budget increase that will help the center expand its efforts to encourage “sound coastal resource management” in Indonesia, Tanzania and Mexico.
The URI Coastal Research Center manages $22 million in worldwide field projects on behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Global Environment Bureau. That agency helps countries with natural resources management, sustainable urbanization, energy and pollution abatement, and responses to climate change.
Again, a world stage – world news. Surely, there are similar stories to be told at our other colleges and universities – all deserving our deepest appreciation.
