Texas NBC Affiliate Praises 'Job-Creating' Ordinance that Finds Negligence of 'Green' Audit Criminal

The government is continuing to encroach on freedoms more and more in the name of climate change. Case in point: An ordinance that went into effect June 1 stating if you sell your home in Austin, Texas and you fail to get a clean energy "green" audit, you will likely face criminal charges.

According to an ordinance passed by the Austin City Council in November 2008, any home 10 years or older will require an "Energy Conservation Audit. Failure to comply - criminal charges as explained by the local community-owned electric utility:

What if I sell the house without having an audit?

Non-compliance with the ECAD ordinance is a Class C misdemeanor. Reported violations will be forwarded to the City of Austin Legal Department for review and action.

According to a June 1 segment on the Austin NBC affiliate KXAN, a clean energy audit will cost homeowners about $300 "to inspect windows, insulation, duct work and air filtration."

But the KXAN piece didn't condemn the added bureaucracy imposed on home sellers, but instead bragged the ordinance created jobs.

"Now that homeowners must get a green energy audit, the demand for auditors is red hot," KXAN's Mary Lee said. "It's created more than 100 jobs in the Austin area."

One auditor benefitting from the government ordinance called it Austin's version of the stimulus package.

"It's a very good thing," David Malone, auditor from 1st Choice Energy, said. "Well to be honest with you, this was a, I think that this ordinance coming at this time is really Austin's version of the stimulus package."

Local governments are more and more taking a more proactive role in fighting so-called anthropogenic climate change. Earlier this year it was reported that the City of Madison, Wis. had been eyeing Draconian climate change ordinances that would regulate development, tree removal, fast food restaurants and parking.