Wichita — Republican members of the Kansas congressional delegation criticized a proposal to cap greenhouse gas emissions, saying Monday that the plan would be devastating to rural Midwestern states that generate most of their electricity from coal-fired plants.
The lawmakers found a supportive audience at the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association convention in their opposition to the suggested “cap-and-trade” limits. U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback assured them the measure had little prospect of passing the Senate.
“There is no more devastating piece of legislation for rural America, for the Midwest, for agriculture, for farmers and for small business than this piece of legislation at a time like this economy — bar none,” said Rep. Jerry Moran,
Earlier this summer, the House passed a bill that would impose the first nationwide limits on greenhouse gases and require electric utilities to produce at least 12 percent of their power from pollution-free sources such as wind and solar energy by 2020.
The House bill would set up a system in which limits would be placed on greenhouse gas emissions and a market would be created where businesses could buy and sell permits to pollute.
Rep. Todd Tiahrt urged the group of oil producers to focus their lobbying efforts against the measure on “red state Democrats” from places like Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Louisiana, Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico, where they do business.
“This cap-and-trade will be hardest felt in the Midwest,” said Rep. Lynn Jenkins.
Moran said electric rates will go up in Midwestern states like Kansas that depend on coal-fired plants because those utilities will have to pay for permission to emit greenhouse gases, as opposed to coastal states that generate electricity by hydroelectric power.
Kansas City Power & Light has projected a 37 percent increase in electric rates by 2013 if the measure passes, Brownback said.
The proposed legislation also will drive small refineries overseas to places like India and China where regulations are less stringent, forcing the United States to import more refined gasoline products, Brownback said.
Brownback, who is widely expected to run for governor, also said he supported the proposal by Sunflower Electric Power Corp. to build a coal-fired plant outside Holcomb in Finney County.
Comments
Bruce Bertsch 7 years, 11 months ago
If you don't believe in climate change, why would you support cap and trade? The "Agin its" are just being true to their belief that anything that changes the staus quo is bad. Why is this news?
Steve Jacob 7 years, 11 months ago
Cap-and-Trade is a dead issue, so not worth much discussion.
Stuart Evans 7 years, 11 months ago
what kind of pollution are they talking about? apparently just air pollution. but what about habitat pollution which occurs with hydro-electric generators. what about nuclear pollution that occurs where we need to store waste for about 100,000 years. What about wind generators which by many accounts causes a blight on the aesthetics of nature. Why is it ok for government to target just one form of pollution when all of their fixes cause different kinds of pollution?
Barbara Emert 7 years, 11 months ago
This is not newsworthy. Name any topic that Obama favors and you can bet our Republican congresspeople are against it. That's the party line, that what they're paid to do.
63BC 7 years, 11 months ago
srj is half-right.
Cap and trade is not a "dead issue" when our Congressman from Lawrence, Dennis Moore voted for it---despite the fact it would spike utility rates and cost jobs in the middle of a recession.
It might be dead legislation [thankfully] but by no means is it a "dead issue."
It's nother sign that Moore's supposed moderation is hokum and another reason to replace him.
Maddy Griffin 7 years, 11 months ago
So build the damned wind farms already!!!
Chris Golledge 7 years, 11 months ago
The reps who say this would be "devastating" to the rural states are being willfully ignorant of the information available. Devastation is relative, they think of devastation as economic hardship; others think of devastation as hundreds of millions of people caught up starvation and war. Basically, sure, if you don't believe in climate change, there's every reason to be against cap-and-trade, but that is right up there with saying you don't believe in evolution. Wait, this is Kansas, nevermind.
zzgoeb 7 years, 11 months ago
BuenaVista
Wait, you missed the references to Hitler, socialism and death panels...better re-read the "talking points" email from Bill-0 the clown!!!
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