Help Us Kill Cap and Trade!

Over the weekend the Kerry/Graham/Lieberman Climate Change Legislation—commonly known as Cap and Trade—was postponed. It was scheduled to be introduced, but it has been delayed (at least briefly). Supporters were expecting it pass by June or July. Reports now predict that it may not get on the legislative calendar this year.

An article out of Rueters closed with this: “If Congress fails to approve climate legislation this year, it could try again in 2011. If all efforts collapse in Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said it would begin regulating greenhouse gases for the first time, an outcome business and environmental groups wish to avoid. They prefer legislation tailored to their needs.”

With this in mind, now is the opportune time for opposition to U.S. EPA’s plans to be heard. Our friends over at the Citizens Alliance for Responsible Energy are looking for business owners, trade associations, and corporations who are willing to sign the letter below which will be sent to Senators Udall and Bingaman. To participate, we need a scan of your signature, a jpg of your logo and how you want to be listed (such as: Marita K. Noon, Executive Director, Citizens’ Alliance for Responsible Energy).

If you receive this invitation to participate, but are not a business owner, a trade association representative, or corporate spokesperson, please forward this to anyone you know who fits this profile.

We need to strike while the iron is hot. Ideally, we will get this letter out by the end of this week. If you have questions about the U.S. EPA’s decision to regulate greenhouse gases using the Clean Air Act, please contact Marita at Marita@responsiblenergy.org or 505.239.8998.

Here is the letter:

(List of businesses and groups) collectively write to urge you to support the Murkowski resolution prohibiting the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Your support of this resolution will help save New Mexico’s businesses, jobs, and families.

As you are aware, the U.S. EPA announced last December its intention to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the CAA. U. S. EPA made this announcement despite ongoing efforts on Capitol Hill to address climate change and energy issues.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has introduced a resolution to prevent the U. S. EPA from regulating greenhouse gases because, she believes, Congress is a more appropriate forum for addressing such major issues that have economy-wide impacts. We agree that this is a matter for Congress, not the U. S. EPA.

While we (the above businesses and organizations) may have a variety of different viewpoints on climate change and energy issues, we all agree that U. S. EPA regulations would be all cap and no trade. This approach would be inflexible and cost prohibitive, thereby hurting New Mexico businesses, workers and families.

The Murkowski resolution is expected to come up for a Senate vote within the next few weeks. We are asking you to declare your support for the Murkowski resolution as soon as possible. The future of New Mexico may depend on this vote.

Please let us know if you need more information or if we can help you otherwise with respect to this vital matter.