Sunday
Feb142010
Wisconsin's Own Global Warming Bill
by 
Jim Steineke Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 10:41PM
Jim Steineke Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 10:41PM
We need to take action on this and call our legislators today!! If you do not know their number, please find them by clicking here (and then save their contact info for later calls!): http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/waml/waml.aspx
At a time in which the nation and our own state are hemorraging jobs and people are having a hard time making ends meet, our leaders in the Wisconsin State Legislature are considering bills that equate to economic suicide. These bills, AB 649 and SB 450, are the global warming bills that will enact strict regulations on energy that will lead to lost jobs and higher energy costs.
At the federal level, thanks in part to the election of Scott Brown as well as a few reasonable Democrats, President Obama's so-called "Cap & Trade" legislation is all but dead. Unfortunately, because of a lame duck in Governor Doyle and a tone deaf state legislature, it seems that Wisconsin will walk this plank alone and unilaterally disarm in the nationwide competition for new jobs.
Here are a few of the ramifications of this bill:
* A 25% renewable energy portfolio with a net $16.2 Billion cost increase by 2025 which will be paid by utility rate-payers.
* The loss of 43,093 private sector jobs.
* A per capita loss of disposable income equal to $1,012 per year.
* A $1.6 billion drop in gross wages.
We are being governed by people that think spending over 1 billion dollars annually to generate electricity from cow manure is a good idea. This is only the tip of the global warming induced iceburg otherwise known as the "renewable energy jobs act". These bills were the results of Gov Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force and are both currently under debate, Gov Doyle hopes to sign them into law at an earth day ceremony this spring. An extensive analysis of the bills have been conducted by the Beacon Hill Institute and the WI Public Policy Institute.
43,000 fewer private sector workers supporting 12,000 more government workers resulting in significant reductions in wages, disposable income, and investment. The full report is worth reading and can be seen here.
http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume22/Vol22No7/Vol22No7.html
While the economic impact of such legislation would be difficult for most of us to avoid, Gov Doyle showed no interest.
“The Task Force was not asked to evaluate whether the costs of addressing climate change will be greater or less than the benefits achieved. Many members of the Task Force believe that the costs of not addressing climate change substantially outweigh the costs of reducing GHG emissions. Several members of the Task Force disagree or would proceed on a slower track. Under Executive Order 191, the Task Force is not charged with resolving this debate.”
This quote is taken from a statement by Todd Stuart, WI Industrial Energy Group.The full statement can be seen here and is also worth reading (at the very least, scroll down to the conclusion).
http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=184770
Among other things the bills would adopt many of the California Air Resource Board (CARB) regulations which would substantially increase the cost of new vehicles, and would increase gas prices by as much as 60 cents per gallon. Enacting these restrictions would be economically insane at any time, but especially so when you consider that California is considering repeal of many of these standards because of the negative impacts.
Carbon dioxide levels would be required to be reduced to at least 75% less than 2005 levels by 2050, again without concern for economic impact.
The renewable mandate would increase to 25% by 2025. Most of the additional renewable energy required to meet this mandate would be imported either from wind farms in states to our west or hydroelectric from Canada, both of which would be very inefficient. Ironically we are in the process of bringing on line a clean coal plant that has the capacity to exceed our demand now and for the forseeable future.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/82567142.html
The economic arguments against this legislation are numerous, compelling and valid, and should be researched and expressed to all of our representatives.
There is another point that is at least as important, and that is the questionable validity of the need to address climate change in general and carbon dioxide emissions in particular, at all. The developments in the “climategate” scandal have been virtually ignored in the American press, but are legitimate concerns nonetheless. If you are not familiar with these developments involving the UNs IPCC, Englands East Anglia University, Penn State University and Michael Mann, James Hanson and Goddard space/NASA, etc…..through any search engine the information is readily available and very relevant to this proposed legislation.
At a time in which the nation and our own state are hemorraging jobs and people are having a hard time making ends meet, our leaders in the Wisconsin State Legislature are considering bills that equate to economic suicide. These bills, AB 649 and SB 450, are the global warming bills that will enact strict regulations on energy that will lead to lost jobs and higher energy costs.
At the federal level, thanks in part to the election of Scott Brown as well as a few reasonable Democrats, President Obama's so-called "Cap & Trade" legislation is all but dead. Unfortunately, because of a lame duck in Governor Doyle and a tone deaf state legislature, it seems that Wisconsin will walk this plank alone and unilaterally disarm in the nationwide competition for new jobs.
Here are a few of the ramifications of this bill:
* A 25% renewable energy portfolio with a net $16.2 Billion cost increase by 2025 which will be paid by utility rate-payers.
* The loss of 43,093 private sector jobs.
* A per capita loss of disposable income equal to $1,012 per year.
* A $1.6 billion drop in gross wages.
We are being governed by people that think spending over 1 billion dollars annually to generate electricity from cow manure is a good idea. This is only the tip of the global warming induced iceburg otherwise known as the "renewable energy jobs act". These bills were the results of Gov Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force and are both currently under debate, Gov Doyle hopes to sign them into law at an earth day ceremony this spring. An extensive analysis of the bills have been conducted by the Beacon Hill Institute and the WI Public Policy Institute.
43,000 fewer private sector workers supporting 12,000 more government workers resulting in significant reductions in wages, disposable income, and investment. The full report is worth reading and can be seen here.
http://www.wpri.org/Reports/Volume22/Vol22No7/Vol22No7.html
While the economic impact of such legislation would be difficult for most of us to avoid, Gov Doyle showed no interest.
“The Task Force was not asked to evaluate whether the costs of addressing climate change will be greater or less than the benefits achieved. Many members of the Task Force believe that the costs of not addressing climate change substantially outweigh the costs of reducing GHG emissions. Several members of the Task Force disagree or would proceed on a slower track. Under Executive Order 191, the Task Force is not charged with resolving this debate.”
This quote is taken from a statement by Todd Stuart, WI Industrial Energy Group.The full statement can be seen here and is also worth reading (at the very least, scroll down to the conclusion).
http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=184770
Among other things the bills would adopt many of the California Air Resource Board (CARB) regulations which would substantially increase the cost of new vehicles, and would increase gas prices by as much as 60 cents per gallon. Enacting these restrictions would be economically insane at any time, but especially so when you consider that California is considering repeal of many of these standards because of the negative impacts.
Carbon dioxide levels would be required to be reduced to at least 75% less than 2005 levels by 2050, again without concern for economic impact.
The renewable mandate would increase to 25% by 2025. Most of the additional renewable energy required to meet this mandate would be imported either from wind farms in states to our west or hydroelectric from Canada, both of which would be very inefficient. Ironically we are in the process of bringing on line a clean coal plant that has the capacity to exceed our demand now and for the forseeable future.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/82567142.html
The economic arguments against this legislation are numerous, compelling and valid, and should be researched and expressed to all of our representatives.
There is another point that is at least as important, and that is the questionable validity of the need to address climate change in general and carbon dioxide emissions in particular, at all. The developments in the “climategate” scandal have been virtually ignored in the American press, but are legitimate concerns nonetheless. If you are not familiar with these developments involving the UNs IPCC, Englands East Anglia University, Penn State University and Michael Mann, James Hanson and Goddard space/NASA, etc…..through any search engine the information is readily available and very relevant to this proposed legislation.
Reader Comments (3)
I think we all want a clean nation. I think we all want to save are lakes, rivers, and trees. I also believe if we work together we can come up with common sense sollutions. But democrats like Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Doyle and kagen do not care about protecting the enviroment, they only care about socialism. Cap and trade, and other enviromental bills the democrats are trying to cram down are throats is about growing the size, strength, and cost of goverment. They want as much control of our paychecks as possible. They want to take over as much as the free market economey as possible. Do not let yourself be fooled by the democrats lies. I think if i watch one more hollywood movie where the earth is being destroyed because of global warming, i will simply puke on my self. These extreme socialist economic policies will hit buisnesses with cost they simply will not be able to afford. Buisnesses will close, people will lose there jobs, whole industries will be forced over seas. Manufacturing will be hit especialy hard because of all the regulations they will be hit with. We simply will not be able to compete with other countries anymore. OFFCOURSE, THAT IS THE POINT. THAT IS WHAT OBAMA AND DOYLE TRULY WANT, SOCIALISM ON A GLOBAL SCALE. Not to mention a 25% increase to your electric,gas,and water bills.Can any of us afford that?
Mark,
Great post. The Globalists could not ram this through in Congress, could not accomplish this at the Copenhagen summit, so now the Globalists are trying to ram this through at the State level. Hence Governor Doyle attending the Copenhagen summit in December. A number of us have made the trek to Madison to attend the so clled public hearings. Nothing could be have been further from the truth. Aproximately 30 percent or more of the speakers were from companies that have a vested interest in wind and solar installations. Farmers were even begging the State to force WE Energies to buy the power from these wind farms becuase We Energies told them their price was to expensive. It was really disgusting to watch all of the farmers and company paid lobbyists holding their cup out waiting for Wisconsin to drop money in their cup.
The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce would like Wisconsin to have a clean and green future, but not at the cost to our residents and our businesses. Senate Bill 450 and Assembly Bill 649 are being discussed right now in Madison. Some say the Bills will increase the costs of electricity by at least $15 billion when fully implemented and some say the bills will enhance Wisconsin’s energy efficiency by reducing consumption 2% each year. Opponents say the bills will result in the loss of 43,000 private-sector jobs, mostly from the manufacturing sector. Proponents say the bills will create at least 15,000 green jobs by 2025.
The Advocacy Council of the Heart of the Valley Chamber will host a forum to educate you on the good, the bad and the ugly of the Clean Energy Jobs Act Bills (otherwise known as the Wisconsin Global Warming Bill). This forum will be on Friday, March 5, 2010 from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at Citizens Bank, located at 205 East 4th Street, Kaukauna. Michael Vickerman from RENEW Wisconsin will speak in support of the Bills and a representative from WMC will present the fiscal impact the bills will have on the economy.
We cannot afford to make Wisconsin’s business climate less competitive, and make it more difficult for Wisconsin employers to create jobs at a time when we need them most. The public is invited to attend. There is no charge for attendance, but donations can be made at the door. Reservations are appreciated but not necessary. Call the Chamber office for more information at 766-1616 or visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com .