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TO REQUEST THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO OPPOSE CAP AND TRADE LEGISLATION AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT ENCOURAGES STATES TO ESTABLISH AND DEVELOP THEIR OWN RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS.
Whereas, the United States Congress is considering legislation supported by President Obama to implement a cap and trade emissions trading system that would establish a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, require those who emit greenhouse gases to purchase government credits to offset emissions, and allow those emitters to trade or sell those credits; and
Whereas, evidence of widespread corruption has surfaced in the basic temperature records maintained by key scientific advocates of the theory of man-made global warming, eroding the foundation upon which the anthropomorphic global warming theory is built and undercutting the argument in favor of a cap and trade emissions trading scheme;
Whereas, companies that are required to participate in the cap and trade program will ultimately pass the cost of participation in the program on to consumers, resulting in lost jobs and increased costs of goods and services of every kind; and
Whereas, the combustion of coal produces more than fifty percent of the electricity generated in the United States, with South Carolina receiving sixty-one percent of its electricity from coal. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that price increases resulting from a fifteen percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions would cost the average American household between 1.7 to 3 percent of its after-tax income every year, with the average household in South Carolina bearing an even greater burden; and
Whereas, the cap and trade program will result in massive increases in energy costs for all consumers because the cost to produce electricity from coal will be markedly higher. The Congressional Budget Office has acknowledged that these increases in energy costs will effectively act as a regressive tax affecting every household in the nation, with a disproportionate effect on poorer families; and
Whereas, the impact on South Carolina is staggering. Over the next twenty-five years, South Carolina can expect cap and trade to destroy more than eighteen thousand jobs, raise electricity prices by more than seven hundred dollars per household, and cause gasoline prices to spike by sixty cents per gallon; and
Whereas, the cap and trade program will not result in the overall global decrease of greenhouse gas emissions because many industries that emit greenhouse gas will merely relocate to countries with less stringent standards such as China and India. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina legislative delegation should oppose all cap and trade legislation because of the devastating effects it will have on our State.
Be it further resolved that the members of the South Carolina congressional delegation should instead support legislation that encourages states to develop and establish their own commonsense renewable energy portfolio standards.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the members of the South Carolina congressional delegation and President Barack Obama.
This web page was last updated on December 9, 2009 at 3:08 PM