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County Might Oppose Cap-And-Trade Emissions Plan
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Published: March 24, 2009
NEW PORT RICHEY - County officials are preparing their objections to federal proposals for a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions some view as a new tax that could raise electric bills.
"This is a huge tax," Commission Chairman Jack Mariano, a Republican, said. He asked for a resolution to be drafted by this afternoon for a vote by commissioners. If approved the statement would be forwarded to members of Congress.
"This is a new tax," David Lambert, manager for member relations of the Dade City-based Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, said of President Barack Obama's proposed cap-and-trade program in a presentation to commissioners.
"We just don't know how people are going to afford electricity" under the cap-and-trade plan, Lambert told commissioners Tuesday morning.
The proposed federal budget shows a new category of "climate revenues" estimated conservatively at $645 billion from fiscal 2012 through 2019, Lambert said.
Under a cap-and-trade system large-scale polluters would buy via a federal government auction permits to release pollutant gases such carbon dioxide. Companies that reduce their emissions and don't need all their permits could sell them to companies that do.
Advocates of cap-and-trade systems say they harness the power of the market to control pollution and spur the development of cleaner forms of energy. Many critics say they are just large tax increases that will be passed on to consumers and cripple the industry with large-scale emissions such as auto and steel manufacturers.
Under cap and trade monthly bills for co-op members could go up an extra $20 for each 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity used, Lambert said. A typical Withlacoochee member consumes about 1,400 kilowatt-hours a month.
The proposed changes could also impact the county's Resource Recovery Facility on Hays Road, where some of the trash burned generates electricity, Lambert noted.
The waste-to-energy plant should be classified as a renewable energy source, according to Bruce Kennedy, assistant county administrator for utilities services.
Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.
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