(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) The long-term economic health and well-being of Arkansas residents depends upon the availability and affordability of reliable sources of energy;(2) Arkansas has abundant reserves of natural gas and other natural resources;(3) The current economy and future economic development of Arkansas requires reliable, resilient, dispatchable, secure, and abundant supplies of electrical power;(4) The demand for reliable, resilient, dispatchable electrical power is anticipated to significantly increase in the coming decades as Arkansas becomes home to additional manufacturing and other economic development projects that increase demand for electrical power;(5) It is in the interest of this state that it be able to generate sufficient electricity within its borders to serve its own industrial, residential, and commercial demand and to power the state's own economy;(6) The electrification of the United States' economy combined with unprecedented federal regulatory pressures have created an electric generation resource crisis;(7) Existing state and federal policies with respect to energy do not adequately address the concerns of the General Assembly or Arkansas residents such that a comprehensive state energy policy is required;(8) Current policies at the state and federal level do not adequately assess capacity, availability, reliability, or resilience of existing and new dispatchable, nuclear, or other emerging electric generating resources;(9) Retirement of dispatchable electric generating resources is not necessary for the protection of the environment or the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of this state;(10) The health, happiness, safety, economic opportunity, and general welfare of Arkansas residents will be promoted and protected by the operation of dispatchable electric generating resources and, conversely, those interests would be harmed by the premature retirement of those generating resources;(11) Arkansas can support a multitude of potential electric generating resources and energy fuel supply sources so as to be a national leader in the production of energy in all forms;(12) Local economic development is essential to the health, happiness, safety, and general welfare of the residents of this state; and(13) Local economic development requires an adequate supply of electricity to support new and expanding industries and is enhanced by robust employment at electric generating facilities, the local job multiplier effect of employment in the natural gas and electric generating industries, and state and local taxes and other forms of economic value creation for this state.
(1) The long-term economic health and well-being of Arkansas residents depends upon the availability and affordability of reliable sources of energy;
(2) Arkansas has abundant reserves of natural gas and other natural resources;
(3) The current economy and future economic development of Arkansas requires reliable, resilient, dispatchable, secure, and abundant supplies of electrical power;
(4) The demand for reliable, resilient, dispatchable electrical power is anticipated to significantly increase in the coming decades as Arkansas becomes home to additional manufacturing and other economic development projects that increase demand for electrical power;
(5) It is in the interest of this state that it be able to generate sufficient electricity within its borders to serve its own industrial, residential, and commercial demand and to power the state's own economy;
(6) The electrification of the United States' economy combined with unprecedented federal regulatory pressures have created an electric generation resource crisis;
(7) Existing state and federal policies with respect to energy do not adequately address the concerns of the General Assembly or Arkansas residents such that a comprehensive state energy policy is required;
(8) Current policies at the state and federal level do not adequately assess capacity, availability, reliability, or resilience of existing and new dispatchable, nuclear, or other emerging electric generating resources;
(9) Retirement of dispatchable electric generating resources is not necessary for the protection of the environment or the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of this state;
(10) The health, happiness, safety, economic opportunity, and general welfare of Arkansas residents will be promoted and protected by the operation of dispatchable electric generating resources and, conversely, those interests would be harmed by the premature retirement of those generating resources;
(11) Arkansas can support a multitude of potential electric generating resources and energy fuel supply sources so as to be a national leader in the production of energy in all forms;
(12) Local economic development is essential to the health, happiness, safety, and general welfare of the residents of this state; and
(13) Local economic development requires an adequate supply of electricity to support new and expanding industries and is enhanced by robust employment at electric generating facilities, the local job multiplier effect of employment in the natural gas and electric generating industries, and state and local taxes and other forms of economic value creation for this state.