Dive Brief:

• The nuclear energy industry's trade group has exposed itself as funding a controversial think tank that is hostile to renewable energy mandates.
• The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) received a $10,000 donation from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), according to the NEI's annual report filed with with the Internal Revenue Service, according to the Center for Public Integrity.
• ALEC, which is composed mainly of business interests and state-level Republican lawmakers, has an energy, environment and agriculture task force that seeks “to ensure states remain the first among equals with the federal government on environmental regulation.” The group crafts model legislation on a host of subjects that it tries to get enacted by state legislatures. 

Dive Insight: 

One of ALEC's model bills is the Market-Power Renewables Act that would reverse state efforts to encourage the use of renewable energy by establishing renewable portfolio standards. The ALEC legislation says "mandated purchase of renewable energy has created negative economic and environmental consequences" as it advocates for a voluntary market for renewable power.