Comment on carbon cap to the Environmental Improvement Board!

The Environmental Improvement Board is accepting comments now and holding a public comment period on the New Mexico-only carbon emissions cap. The hearing will be held on December 5. If you can make it up to the meeting, by all means, please do so. If not, at least take 5 minutes and send some written comments to the board. I have sent mine and pasted them below. Feel free to use parts of my comments in your own letter!

RE: REPEAL OF 20.2.100 NMAC

December 1, 2011
Ms. Carmella Casados
Board Administrator
Environmental Improvement Board
Harold Runnels Building
1190 St. Francis Drive, Room N-2153
Santa Fe, NM, 87505

Dear Ms. Casados:

The following are my comments in support of repeal of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program 20.2.100 NMAC.

I write to strongly urge the Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) to repeal the program above. While the science on global warming and the potential for humans to positively or negatively impact the climate through their actions remains unsettled, there is no doubt that this carbon cap will increase the cost of electricity for New Mexicans.

New Mexico is one of the poorest and most sparsely-populated states in the nation and cannot afford to further regulate its economy in ways that will make it less economically-competitive. And, while environmentalists tout the supposed economic benefits of carbon caps in spurring “renewables” like wind and solar, the reality is that these energy sources cost more and are less reliable than existing power sources.

While private citizens and businesses should feel free to adopt these power sources if they so choose, the EIB and, by extension New Mexico’s government, should not force such power sources on unwilling consumers, many of whom have low income levels and are unable to pay the higher costs associated with these power sources.

Simply put, if so-called “renewables” are the future of electric generation, this future will come in its own time and way which could be completely different from current expectations. It is not the role of government to pick winners and losers while sticking consumers with the bill. Please repeal the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program.

Sincerely,

Paul J. Gessing

President