It is beyond stupid on so many levels only a politician could love it. The sad part is how much money politicians can waste without oversight, especially on dubious expenditures. They would get so much more bang for their buck putting up a solar array along the highway.
However this really sounds as if the politicians bought a bill of goods and simply could not comprehend they don't understand the issues. As in, they are the smartest people they know so they are incapable of being sold a bill of goods that are bogus.