Climate Change Legislation Myths and
Realities
Myth #1 The earth is in a cooling cycle, so
there is nothing to worry about.
Reality: Based on over 420,000 years of CO2 and
temperature data collected from ice core samples from the Vostok glacier in
Myth #2 If Congress fails to enact climate
change legislation, there will be no carbon emission reduction
regulations.
Reality: NOT TRUE.
In fact, if Congress fails to act, the EPA will go forward based on its
regulatory authority under the Clean Air Act and the Supreme Court’s directive
to EPA from the Massachusetts vs. Environmental Protection Agency lawsuit. The 2007 Supreme Court ruling ordered EPA to
determine whether or not carbon emissions endangered the environment and human
health.
In early 2009, EPA ruled that
carbon emissions do pose a threat to the environment and human health. Therefore if Congress fails to develop its
own alternative system to control the rising levels of greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions, EPA will move forward with its own regulatory system. All farm organizations agree that EPA
regulation of GHGs and carbon emissions represents the worst possible scenario
for production agriculture.
For agriculture, EPA would:
·
Not necessarily
exclude agriculture from emission compliance as HR2454 does.
·
Likely be a much less
flexible, more punitive and heavy handed regulatory approach than would a cap-and-trade
system.
·
Likely drive up
energy costs similar to other regulatory approaches that limit carbon
emissions.
·
NOT provide for any
market based economic benefits from sequestering carbon.
·
NOT incent wind
energy development by increasing the value of “environmental attributes” known
as Green Tags.
Myth #3 Agriculture need not worry about
potential adverse EPA regulation because Congress will stop EPA
regulation. Senators Lugar and Johanns have
stated this will be the case.
Reality: Senators Lugar and Johanns are from the
Minority Party, and are not in leadership positions. A repeal of the existing Clean Air Act
stopping EPA carbon emission reduction regulations would require the
cooperation of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi to put such a Bill on the agenda and the desk of President Obama. Without Leadership support, a repeal would
not be put on the agenda, and if it did make it to the agenda without their
support, it would require 60 votes in the Senate to get voted on, or to
override a Presidential veto.
Myth #4
Ag will be a capped sector under HR2454.
Reality: Under HR2454, the agricultural sector is not a
capped sector. This is primarily due to
the fact the EPA says ag/forestry has the potential to sequester up to 25% of
GHG’s, while emitting only 7%. This also
eliminates the possibility of a cow tax, which was never under serious
discussion in the first place. Under EPA
regulation, there is no such guarantee that the Ag sector will NOT be capped.
Myth #5
HR 2454 will require large amounts of ag land be taken out of production
and planted into trees.
Reality: There is no such requirement. Any decision to transition from ag land to
trees would be made by the landowner based on the highest and best economic use
of the land, just as it has always been.
New carbon sequestration incentives may make it more feasible to augment
conservation and wildlife plans by giving landowners a more economically viable
option to justify tree and shrub plantings in marginal areas.
Myth #6
Electricity prices will go up thousands of dollars per individual per
year.
Reality: In HR2454, there are allowances set aside for
electric utilities and distribution companies that will help keep electric
ratepayers rates reasonably low.
The latest Congressional
Budget Office study estimates Climate Change Legislation would cost the average
household only $175 a year by 2020.
The CBO report also said that the poorest 20
percent of American households would actually receive a $40 benefit in 2020,
while the richest 20 percent of households would see a net cost of only $245 a
year.
The Environmental
Protection Agency has estimated that the bill would only cost
To do nothing
would most likely mean significantly higher electricity costs as petroleum and
coal are finite resources and continue to release carbon into the atmosphere.
Myth #7
Climate Change Legislation will break production agriculture by
increasing input costs through caps on energy intensive industries.
Reality: USDA’s
preliminary analysis of the effects of HR2454 shows that the ag sector
will have modest costs in the short-term and net benefits, and significant net
benefits over the long term. The
short-term impact on net farm income is less than a 1% decrease. Costs remain low due to provisions that
reduce compliance costs for energy intensive industries, such as the fertilizer
and steel industries. It is projected in
the long-term that ag offsets (not including forestry) would add $15-$20 billion to the ag industry.
Myth #8
Climate Change Legislation will make the
Reality: Our
current reliance on foreign oil is a dead end environmentally and economically,
and undermines our national security.
