1st Affirmative: Cara Zajac
2nd Affirmative:Gia Rodrigues

The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States.
Plan
1.) The United States federal government will start to produce more geothermal energy though government construction and management of geothermal plants.
2.) The United States federal government will provide subsides paying for 50% of the initial installation cost of a geothermal loop to homeowners and businesses that choose to utilize geothermal energy in their home or business.
3.) The United States will implement a corporate “Shapiro” carbon tax to fund the incentives.

Topicality
The United States - A country of central and northwest North America with coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It includes the noncontiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii and various island territories in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Fourth Edition 2000.)
Federal Government - of or relating to the three branched government in a democracy (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Fourth Edition 2000.)
Substantial: (adj)
· Webster’s New World Dictionary: important
· Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law: 1a.of a relating to substance b. not illusionary: having merit substantial constitutional claim> c. having importance or significance
· Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary: 1. relating to the main or most important things to be considered
· Websters Student Dictionary: 1. solid; strong, firm 2. of real worth and importance
Increase: (verb)
· American heritage dictionary: 1. to become greater or larger
· Cambridge Advance Learner’s Dictionary: 1. to make something become larger in amount or size
· Webster’s Student Dictionary (the New International): 1. to become greater, as in amount, or size degree; grow 2. to grow in numbers 3. to make greater, as in amount, size, degree; augment; enlarge
Alternative Energy
1.) energy that is not popularly used and is usually environmentally sound, (as opposed to fossil fuels).www.nrdc.org/reference/glossary/a.asp
2.)Energy from a source other than the conventional fossil-fuel sources of oil, natural gas and coal (ie, wind, running water, the sun). Also referred to as "alternative fuel." www.iagreen.com/glossary.htm
3.)sources of energy that do not depend of fossil fuels..www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/2985/diction.html
4.)Energy derived from nontraditional sources U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
12.) energy derived from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment Princeton University Wordnet online dictionary
Incentives: (noun)
· Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary: 1. inciting, encouraging or moving; rounsing to action; stimulative 2. serving to kindle or set on fire.
· American Heritage Dictionary: something, such as fear of punishment or the expectation of reward, that induces action or motivates effort
· Merriam-Webster Dictionary: something that incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action
· Cambridge Advance Learners Dictionary: something which encourages a person to dosomething
· Webster’s Student Dictionary (the New International): 1. encouraging or motivating action.. That which incites, or tends to incite, to action; motive; stimulus

Need

Non-renewable energy sources pollute and harm the environment.

1. (Study) By Massachusetts Energy Collaborative “Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels”

Found Online at: http://www.masstech.org/cleanenergy/important/envother.htm
Air pollutants can also have significant impacts on the environment through their creation of smog (from ozone), haze (from particulates), and acid rain (from nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides). Particulates can also alter soil and water composition, impacting ecosystems and agricultural practices.

2. (Article) “Why we need an alternative energy source” By Roy C Dudgeon
   Found online at: http://www.helium.com/items/851120-why-we-need-an-alternative-energy-source
   ”Less well known, and more insidious, is the fact that ground water is being polluted by petroleum, as Sampat (2000) points out. This is due to our habit of building underground storage tanks for gasoline at fueling stations. When these tanks develop slow leaks it is often undetected for a long period of time. Even when it is detected, it is often not fixed. The slow leak of petrochemicals ends up in underground water reservoirs, or "aquifers." and depending on their recharge rate (the time it takes to flush them with new water), could remain so for centuries.”

3. (Article) “Why we need an alternative energy source” By Roy C Dudgeon
   Found online at: http://www.helium.com/items/851120-why-we-need-an-alternative-energy-source

“A recent study of air quality in several major cities in North America concluded that fossil fuel pollution outdoors is comparable to second hand smoke indoors as a potential cause of lung cancer.”

4. (Study) By Massachusetts Energy Collaborative “Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels”

Found Online at: http://www.masstech.org/cleanenergy/important/envother.htm
“Possibly the most visible impact of fossil fuel production is the potential for environmental disaster during transportation. A number of high-profile oil spills have illustrated the extent of environmental damage possible. On a smaller scale, storage tank leakage and other accidents can directly damage local environments. The pollution effects of these accidents can last for tens of years and sometimes longer, and cleanup is often costly.”

5. (Article) “Why we need an alternative energy source” By Roy C Dudgeon
   Found online at: http://www.helium.com/items/851120-why-we-need-an-alternative-energy-source
   Coal is also particularly high in particulates, and prolonged exposure to particulate pollution can cause a variety of health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular problems such as asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease.

Non-renewable energy pollution effects human health.

1. (Article) “Why we need an alternative energy source” By Roy C Dudgeon
Found online at: http://www.helium.com/items/851120-why-we-need-an-alternative-energy-source
“[I]t is estimated that particulates and other pollutants from coal and other fossil fuels continue to cause about 500,000 premature deaths, and millions of respiratory illnesses per year.”

2. (Study) By Massachusetts Energy Collaborative “Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels”
Found Online at: http://www.masstech.org/cleanenergy/important/envother.htm
Respiratory Problems
Respiratory problems are exacerbated by all six of the main air pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulates, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In particular, ozone can cause serious lung damage when people are exposed to it over long periods of time.

3. (Study) By Massachusetts Energy Collaborative “Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels”
Found Online at: http://www.masstech.org/cleanenergy/important/envother.htm
Heart Disease
Emissions like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulates can exacerbate symptoms of heart disease. Particulates are proven cause of increased hospital and emergency room admissions for heart problems.

4. (Study) By Massachusetts Energy Collaborative “Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels”
Found Online at: http://www.masstech.org/cleanenergy/important/envother.htm
Nervous System
Carbon monoxide can damage the nervous system when a person is exposed to it over long periods of time.

Workability
Geothermal Energy is a reliable source of energy fit for the United States.

(Study)Geothermal Education Office by Phillip Michael Wright, Ph.D., President, International Geothermal Association, Energy and Geosciences Institute, Salt Lake City, UT,
“During the winter, while traditional heat pumps are struggling to pull heat from zero degree air, geothermal systems are taking Earth's heat which is the difference between the earth's temperature and the colder temperature of the air and transferring it through the buried pipes into the circulating liquid and then transferred again into the building. During hot weather, the continually circulating fluid in the pipes 'picks up' heat from the building - thus helping to cool it - and transfers it into the earth.”

Geothermal energy can be utilized in many different settings in the United States.
(Informational Pamphlet) Geochange, Non-profit organization October, 2008
According to the GeoChange organization different types of loops are suited to different areas. A horizontal loop that takes approximately ¼ to ¾ of an acre would be good for a more rural setting whereas vertical loops, which require only about 20 square feet, are more suited to urban and more populated areas.



(Resource Map) U.S. Department of Energy “United States Subterranean Temperatures”
“In all but small parts of Arkansas, New York, South Carolina, and California, the United States has subterranean temperatures of higher that 100 degrees Celsius.”



Geothermal energy is cost effective.


Also according the United nations Development Program’s World Energy Assessment geothermal energy is the cheapest alternative energy per kilowatt hour at .5 to .10cen compared to solar thermal at 12-13 cents per kwh and wind at 4-8 cents.


(Article) ToolBase Services in association with the U.S. Department of Housing and Development, 2008
Found online at: http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/HVAC/geothermal-heat-pumps
“The ground loop is generally the most expensive component of a geothermal heat pump system and is highly dependent on local labor rates and drilling conditions. An installed ground loop stubbed out in a home can cost between $1,000 and $3,000 per installed ton. Overall, one could expect to pay (about $7,500) for a 3-ton GHP system than for an air source heat system. “
“Geothermal heat pumps offer high efficiency and low operating cost. According to the EPA, geothermal heat pumps can save homeowners 30 to 70 percent on heating and 20 to 50 percent on cooling costs over conventional systems. This information, as well as, reports that have been made by builders who monitor their in-place systems indicate that heating and cooling savings can range between $358 and $1,475, annually.”

Therefore by providing 50% of the initial ~$7,500 homeowners and businesses can earn back the startup cost through heating energy savings only a short four years, after which they homeowner or business will profit $400 to $1,500 annually. To provide a 50% subsidy for the loops to 75% of households in the United States according to the most recent U.S. Census costs the government costs $377,700,000,000. These funds will be raised by the “Shapiro” style corporate carbon tax which taxes businesses based on the amount of carbon they emit. This tax will be overseen by the Department of Energy, specifically the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Section. This plan solves the need arguments because geothermal energy does not pollute the environment therefore does not have the devastating effects that their non-renewable predecessors do.
.

Advantages

(Study)Through the Geothermal Education Office by Phillip Michael Wright, Ph.D., President, International Geothermal Association, Energy and Geosciences Institute, Salt Lake City, UT,
http://www.geothermal.marin.org/pwrheat.html#top

Geothermal energy is clean.

· Geothermal power plants, like wind and solar power plants, do not have to burn fuels to manufacture steam to turn the turbines. Generating electricity with geothermal energy helps to conserve nonrenewable fossil fuels, and by decreasing the use of these fuels, we reduce emissions that harm our atmosphere. There is no smoky air around geothermal power plants -- in fact some are built in the middle of farm crops and forests, and share land with cattle and local wildlife.

For ten years, Lake County California, home to five geothermal electric power plants, has been the first and only county to meet the most stringent governmental air quality standards in the U.S.

Geothermal energy is easy on the land.

· The land area required for geothermal power plants is smaller per megawatt than for almost every other type of power plant. Geothermal installations don't require damming of rivers or harvesting of forests -- and there are no mine shafts, tunnels, open pits, waste heaps or oil spills.

Geothermal energy is reliable.

· Geothermal power plants are designed to run 24 hours a day, all year. A geothermal power plant sits right on top of its fuel source. It is resistant to interruptions of power generation due to weather, natural disasters or political rifts that can interrupt transportation of fuels.

Geothermal energy is flexible

· Geothermal power plants can have modular designs, with additional units installed in increments when needed to fit growing demand for electricity.

Geothermal Energy is efficient.
(Article) ToolBase Services in association with the U.S. Department of Housing and Development, 2008
Found online at: http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/HVAC/geothermal-heat-pumps

• Geothermal heating can be more efficient than electric resistance heating. These systems are also typically more efficient than gas or oil-fired heating systems. They are more energy efficient than air-source heat pumps because they draw heat from, or release heat to, the earth, which has moderate temperatures year round, rather than to the air (which is generally colder in winter and warmer in summer than the earth, resulting in less effective heat transfer).

Inherency

Geothermal Energy has not been recognized as a mainstream alternative energy source and has not been included in federal government alternative energy funding legislation.
1. The Economic Security and Recovery Act (P. 107-104), provided a
“production tax credit (PTC) for new wind, closed-loop biomass, and poultry waste facilities.”

2. The Tax Relief Extension Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-170)
Provides production tax credits for electricity produced by wind and closed-loop biomass facilities.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/legislation/impact.html