Is Obama Reneging on Vow to Use Solar Power at White House?

It’s almost summer and green groups want to know: Where are the solar panels on the roof of the White House promised by the Obama administration? On Oct. 5, 2010, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, announced a plan to place solar panels and a solar hot water heater on the White House “by the end of spring” in 2011. "I am pleased to announce that by the end of this spring, there will be solar panels that convert sunlight into electricity and a solar hot water heater on the roof of the White House," Chu said at the 2010 GreenGov Symposium held at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. "This project reflects President Obama’s strong commitment to U.S. leadership in solar energy and the jobs it will create here at home," Chu said. But spring ends -- and summer officially begins -- on Tuesday, June 21, at 1:16 p.m. EDT. Where are the panels? None have yet been installed, according to environmentalists, who want to know why – and have launched an online campaign to get the Obama administration to live up to its commitment. In fact, one group, calling itself 350.org has apparently attracted 20,000 names on petitions to the White House...more