Wednesday, January 27, 2010

West Virginia House of Delegates Proposed Cap and Trade Resolution

Thanks to Delegate Jonathan Miller for providing a link to this. He blasted the measure in a Facebook statement, saying "In fact, the resolution endorses solution that harm the coal industry like our recently passed mini cap and trade." Miller went on to state that "You can't fight cap and trade with cap and trade. This is a flawed strategy and spells doom for our state" and "This resolution is essentially saying, 'We want to destroy the coal industry, just not as fast as Obama wants to.'"

In other news, Shelley Moore Capito has taken a leading role in the newly formed Coal Caucus. Her congressional counterparts have declined to participate in any meaningful way.

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 13
(By Mr. Speaker, (Mr. Thompson), and Delegate Armstead)
(By Request of the Executive)
Expressing the will of the Legislature to oppose the adoption of a national cap and trade program for carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions that is unduly burdensome to the State of West Virginia and to support measures that encourage investments in technology to address carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, and requesting that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts to adopt a national cap and trade program that is detrimental to our State.Whereas, The adoption of a national cap and trade program for carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions would have serious financial and economic implications for the State of West Virginia; andWhereas, House Resolution 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, hereinafter referred to as the Act, is pending approval in Congress; andWhereas, The Act calls for the establishment of a national cap and trade program that, if effected, would reduce West Virginia's gross domestic product by an estimated $750 million by 2020 and by an estimated $1.75 billion by 2030; andWhereas, West Virginia would lose up to 10,000 jobs by 2020 and up to 22,000 jobs by 2030 if the proposed cap and trade program is enacted; andWhereas, The industries that would be most affected by the proposed cap and trade program include mining, retail trade and health care; andWhereas, West Virginia is investing heavily in technology designed to limit carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions, including a $100 million investment by American Electric Power in carbon sequestration and capture technology at its Mountaineer Plant in Mason County, a state-of-the-art facility that is the first of its kind in the world; andWhereas, Globally, more coal is being used than ever, and demand is projected to rise to even greater levels as more coal- fired power plants are built in other countries; andWhereas, Coal will continue to be a primary energy source to meet these additional demands and therefore the United States should lead the way in advancing cleaner coal technology; andWhereas, Additional investments are needed to address carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the current energy supply; and Whereas, The Legislature, with the leadership and support of the Governor, enacted laws to reduce, within reasonable limits, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions in this state by adopting an alternative and renewable energy portfolio standard and a regulatory framework for carbon capture and sequestration projects; andWhereas, For the sake of those individuals and families who depend upon the industries that would be affected by a national cap and trade program, the House of Delegates, the Senate, the Governor and West Virginia's congressional delegation must work together to ensure that any proposal to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions includes reasonable provisions intended to safeguard the security of this nation and West Virginia; therefore, be itResolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:That the Legislature of West Virginia is opposed to the adoption of a national cap and trade program for carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions if it creates unnecessary volatility in the energy market, fails to address the energy and security needs of this country, threatens the jobs of hardworking men and women, raises energy costs to an unacceptable amount, fails to provide for additional investments in technology or is otherwise unduly burdensome to the State of West Virginia; and, be itFurther Resolved, That the Legislature of West Virginia supports measures that encourage investments in technology to address carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions; and, be it Further Resolved, That the Legislature of West Virginia requests that West Virginia's congressional delegation resist and oppose efforts to adopt a national cap and trade program that is detrimental to our state; and, be it Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to United States Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV and Representatives Nick J. Rahall, Alan B. Mollohan and Shelley M. Capito.

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