If you read the letter our congressional delegation sent to the President on cap and trade, you will see the same nuance that Rep. Mike Rogers expresses here:
As currently written, this bill could raise our utility bills right when gas prices are also rising.
Like it or not, the South still relies on coal for much of its energy. Coal, of course, is high in carbon emissions, and under a cap and trade system would be “taxed” heavily. Those costs likely would be passed on to Alabama consumers and our vital manufacturing sector.
That’s why this legislation could be harmful to East Alabama families. It’s also why I will continue to oppose it unless the bill improves for Alabama.
As gas prices rise, I also plan to keep my focus on renewable and alternative energy initiatives Congress should support.
Lots of “likely”s and “could”s and “as written” there. I give Rep. Rogers high marks for nuance here and understanding that a bill is a work in progress and there are modifications that could be made that would satisfy the Alabama delegations concerns.
He goes on to discuss his FREE Act, which tackles one of the thornier issues out there in the energy sector, drilling in ANWR. I think that bill is likely dead on arrival, but give him credit as well for trying to do something positive with the royalities that would be realized from such drilling (though I am still not at this time in support of exploration in ANWR).
via Mike Rogers: Time for energy independence upon U.S. | Opelika-Auburn News.
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