September 2009
Step up to the Plate and Let Your Voice Be Heard
by Keven Groenewold
We have all been told sometime in life that you never discuss religion or politics in polite conversation. When it’s time to pass this advice on to my children I think I will also include “Climate Change" and “Cap and Trade.”
Last June, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, also referred to as the Cap and Trade bill. It’s been a while since we have seen legislation that has so few fence sitters and such strong opinions—both for and against.
This issue now moves to the U.S. Senate where they have their own ideas on how to address climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, has said she will use the House passed bill as a starting point. Other Senators say the House bill is dead on arrival. This latter group believes the bill needs to be set aside and the Senate needs to craft its own solution. Whatever the outcome, it won’t be tough enough for some and much too tough for others.
Back here in rural New Mexico, co-ops are putting in their two cents worth. The message we send to Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) is simple. Whatever you do, you must keep electricity affordable and reliable.
The U.S. Senate must make climate change legislation fair, recognizing regional differences in how electricity is produced; it must be affordable for all Americans; and its goals must be achievable—when they take effect.
The technology needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions should be commercially viable each step of the way. These are some of the areas where the House version still needs work.
At the core of the climate change proposal lays a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Under cap-and-trade, greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide, from power plants and other sources would be required to stay below a set limit—the cap. All emissions would then have to be accounted for by allowances issued by the federal government, which could be swapped and sold—the trade.
Decisions will be made in the coming weeks that will directly impact our electric bills, and none of us can afford to sit this one out. With our Congressional delegation home for recess, now is the perfect time to make our voices heard.
We stepped up early in the debate to fight for fairness and affordability as this legislation was considered in the U.S. House of Representatives. Backed by more than 375,000 consumers taking part in the Our Energy, Our Future campaign, electric co-ops had a major impact, securing more than $3 billion in rate relief from the initial House proposal.
It is time we all step up to the plate and make a stand for the interests of consumers. Your Senators and Congressmen need to hear from all of us—their voting constituents—for direction. Let your voice be heard, visit online at www.ourenergy.coop.
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