EPA Pushes "Cap & Trade" in NWI

[rambone]

EPA chief pushes green jobs in Gary visit

By Gitte Laasby, Post Tribune, 9/2/09

GARY - With a fierce battle looming over cap-and-trade legislation in
the U.S. Senate, local union steel workers and environmentalists ramped
up a campaign-like fight Tuesday touting the bill's potential to create
"green jobs."

A group of about 100 cheered and held signs saying, "Made in America --
Clean Energy Jobs now" while a series of speakers at a Gary rally took
turns drumming up support for the bill.

One of them was head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa
Jackson.

"I've seen so many situations where those who oppose change put it in
terms of making a choice... green in our pocketbook or green in our
environment. We know we don't have to choose. It's been offered before.
Don't take it this time," she said.

Opponents of the bill have expressed concern about higher electricity
bills. The Congressional Budget Office estimated legislation would cost
an average household $175 per year. Jackson said bills would only
increase "about a postage stamp every day for a family." Low- and
middle-income residents would receive subsidies to help offset that cost
and become more energy efficient.

"The price per unit of electricity is greater, but consumers use less so
their bill is less," said Frances Beinecke, head of the Natural
Resources Defense Council. "That's actually why we're having the rally.
To try to break down some of those arguments."

Speakers at the rally said the legislation -- passed in the U.S. House
but pending in the Senate -- will create jobs in the renewable energy
sector, reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil and slow global
warming.

"A green job is just a manufacturing job that's helping produce the
vital components of an economy that has lower energy use and is moving
toward a reduced carbon foot print in an effort to fight climate
change," said Jim Robinson, director of United Steel Workers District 7.


While jobs in other sectors have declined, clean energy jobs in Indiana
have grown 18 percent, EPA's Jackson said.

Beinecke said studies have shown a clean energy bill could create as
many as 40,000 jobs in Indiana. The jobs would consist of improving
energy efficiency and building renewable energy equipment, such as solar
panels and fuel-efficient cars, most of which are being built overseas.

But opponents of the bill worry it could cost Indiana 60,000 jobs. They
say spikes in energy costs could harm energy-intensive industries like
steel mills. They have to compete with countries such as China and
India, which have no requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"We feel strongly that any legislation needs to recognize that this is a
global problem that can only be effectively addressed on a global
basis," said Nancy Gravatt, a spokeswoman for the American Iron and
Steel Institute, in a statement.

She said to keep American companies competitive on a global level, a
final bill should include a provision that requires imported
energy-intensive goods to bear the same climate policy-related costs as
competing domestic goods.

Steel workers and environmentalists acknowledge that issue remains to be
solved, but say the bill won't get the necessary votes until the problem
is solved.

"If all we do is create a bill that makes it harder to create jobs here
in America, we've done nothing for ourselves and, in fact, have harmed
our planet," said Tom Conway Sr., international vice president of the
United Steelworkers.

The rally was also an attempt to influence Indiana Sens. Evan Bayh and
Richard Lugar, whose votes are key as the bill comes up in the U.S.
Senate.

They said it plain as day in their own words. Cap & Trade will cause electricity prices to rise. It is projected to be a lot more than a "postage stamp per day" by the watchdogs. Some say your utility bills will more likely be double or triple your current cost. Cap & Trade will cause our energy costs to SKYROCKET!!

YouTube - Cap and Trade: It's an Energy Tax

Once everyone's costs skyrocket, then they will SUBSIDIZE the one's who can't pay it. PURE SOCIALISM!! If they cared so much about the little guy, they wouldn't raise the cost of energy in the first place!

I say again, it is pure socialism to raise prices of everything, then subsidize the one's who can't pay it. The democrats are working to lower the standards of everyone. They are growing the lower class, who can't pay their bills and must rely on the Government for subsidies. They are creating poverty! They are creating a nation full of dependents!

And in turn, they are gaining Government control over the people, and growing the power of the ruling class. Freedom and Liberty are being destroyed.

Environmentalist Green is the new Commie Red.

 

[steveh_131]

I can't believe the Steel Mill Unions would advocate this. Are the Union leaders getting paid off or something? Surely they realize this could destroy their industry, right?

 

[nawainwright]

I noticed when I watched Fox News online today the World Wildlife Federation is running commercials to get us to call our senators to "combat global climate change"

 

[milltech]

I work in a steelmill. My main boss said this will cause steel prices to skyrocket to offset the cost's of energy which means the price of everything that has steel in it will skyrocket.

I say build more nuclear plants,wind turbines,solar panels and try and harness the power of the tidel waves. I have some ideas on tidal waves if anyone would be interested in discussing it.

 

[Leadeye]

Green jobs will be clerical jobs to move money and paper around for the Cap and Trade brokers and barons. Those people will also creat various service sector jobs as well. These jobs will replace the manufacturing jobs lost at considerably lower wage rate, all paid for by the tax on coal and the resulting electricity price bubbles created by the brokers.

Maybe these displaced people can increase the membership of the SEIU.

Steel takes a lot of energy to produce and mini mills are usually electric. The steel workers union is living in some sort of fantasy unless the government provides some sort of subsidy on steel.