HB 2020B “cap and trade”

Highlights of amendment A to the Cap-and-Trade Bill.  These highlights bring out the real reason for this bill – redistribution of wealth that directs money to advance the progressive agenda.

This bill requires large polluters to purchase permits for their greenhouse gas emissions with availability of permits declining over time, leading to a reduction in emissions. The money raised from permits would be spent on projects to promote clean energy. Repeals the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Standards.

Personal Choice and Responsibility
Seeks to get carbon levels down to at least 45% below 1990 emissions levels by 2035; and at least 80% below 1990 emissions levels by 2050, hoping to slowly ease into the added cost. Among other rising costs, fuel prices will increase by 30 cents to 50 cents per gallon. For all that pain it would only mean reducing global CO2 emissions by less than a quarter of one percent, meaning we will still suffer all the harms of climate change anyway, and we will simply have impoverished ourselves in the attempt. Overrides consumer protection that PUC was designed to provide.

Fiscal Responsibility
From the cost of mining aggregates and manufacturing concrete and asphalt, to its delivery and placement, the ripple effect will be significant. As an example, the Oregon Department of Transportation’s construction budget is about $1 billion a year. Oregon AAA expressed concern over an immediate 16-cent per gallon increase in gas, following a 10-cent per gallon increase imposed by the 2017 transportation funding package. The current average price for a gallon of regular in Oregon is $3.05, adding 16 cents would bring the average to $3.21, which would make Oregon the third most expensive state in the country, behind Hawaii and California. Abolishes Oregon Global Warming Commission and transfers duties to and establishes the Oregon Climate Board as an advisory.

Limited Government
Oregon’s sector-based emissions are 10% above 1990 levels of 56 million metric tons. Changes the goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 45 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2035 and to at least 80 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2050, which is a zero impact on climate change. The amount of carbon Oregon would be allowed to emit in 2050 is 11.2 million metric tons. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oregon produced almost 38 million metric tons of carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels, which ranks the state at 38th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. That’s already 32% below 1990 levels. Oregon makes up well under 1 percent of the U.S. output. Firms that exceed the cap will trade credits with companies that are under the cap in order to avoid fines from the state – whereby spreading the emissions but not reducing them.

Local Control
Some moneys will go to rural projects in an attempt to get some bi-partisan votes to boost the sale of the bill.  However, the Association of Oregon Counties report that increases of up to 25% for steel and iron could prevent counties from replacing bridges where over 95% are rated as structurally deficient.

Free Markets
This is anti-free market and displays the highest level of control over manufacturing and distribution of goods. Ash Grove Cement, near Durkee, will possibly close being less competitive against Chinese cement makers.

TALKING POINTS: (Pick a couple of points, but be encouraging)

• Personal impact says volumes. Concern of job lose.
• Oregon already has high carbon standards that haven’t been given a chance to work.
• We just started forest sequestration and forests are proven to reduce more carbon than all the cars and trucks in the state.
• We can reduce the impact of climate change without a heavy hand on businesses that will drive them into bankruptcy or out of state.
• Cap-and-trade will increase the price of gasoline by 22 cents per gallon in the first year of the program alone and up to $3 per gallon by 2050.
• Natural gas rates for residential consumers will see significant increases in the first year and could rise by as much as 53% by 2040.
• Will hand unprecedented authority over Oregon’s economy to unelected employees. Cap-and trade would also raise almost a billion dollars a year with little guarantee for how the funds would be spent and no accountability.
• Will jeopardize the financial viability of the Highway Trust Fund, destroying our state’s ability to invest in the maintenance of existing roads and the funding of future infrastructure projects.
• This bill has an Emergency Clause, which means it can’t be challenged by a citizen’s initiative.

SAMPLY EMAIL (COPY AND PASTE ALL OR PARTS INTO EMAIL) (EMAIL ADDRESS for SENATE)

HB 2020B cap and trade – I STRONGLY OPPOSE

This bill will destroy Oregon’s economy with unlimited impact on businesses that will significantly raise the cost of living. Environmental benefits is not provable to justify the hurt it will cause. We have carbon standards that are working and companies upgrading to the latest technology, and this bill will punish them for helping the environment. We have forest sequestration laws that have not been given a chance to show results. Forests absorb as much carbon as all the cars and trucks in the state emit.

This bill simply manipulates the trade of credits so high polluters trade credits with companies that are under the cap in order to avoid fines from the state. This is done on a private exchange that is owned by a public agency in another state. Audits can’t identify and track the money from the system. We deserve a system that has accountability and is transparent.

There is no guarantee or evidence that emissions will be reduced, but it merely averages out the emissions at the expense of our economy. This idea is to squeeze the polluters with less availability of permits declining over time, but by that time you will have driven them out of business or out of the state. In doing so, you allow replacement products from China and elsewhere that produces more greenhouse gas in making the same product.

The money raised from permits is now being proposed to circle back to certain consumers and small businesses under a socialist theory of spreading the wealth where government picks winners and losers.  Oregon deserves better.

[NAME]