Wednesday, May 9, 2007
About the Author
Sen. Philip Bartlett, D-Gorham, chairs the Legislature's Utilities and Energy Committee and the Maine Energy Council and serves on the Natural Resources Committee.
Global warming is a seminal issue for our generation.
Our children and grandchildren will judge us by how we responded when confronted with the potentially dire consequences of climate change.
We must decide whether to continue on the current course and hope for the best or instead to take action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and create a more sustainable energy future for Maine.
Gov. Baldacci took an important step forward by committing Maine to join with 10 other northeastern states to curb emissions of greenhouse gases from power plants.
This Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative uses a cap-and-trade system to allocate permits for emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants in the 10-state region. In doing so, RGGI harnesses the power of the marketplace to ensure that emissions are reduced at the least cost.
The Legislature is now considering proposals to implement Maine's participation in RGGI. We must pass this legislation to fully participate in this important regional effort.
Maine alone cannot stop climate change, but by working with our neighboring states we can have a positive impact and create a model for the rest of the country. Already California and other western states have expressed interest in developing their own regional initiatives modeled after RGGI.
Under Maine's legislation, when the carbon permits are sold to electricity generators, the proceeds will be used for public benefit. Specifically, the revenue will be used for energy efficiency to help consumers reduce their electricity usage.
This is the best way to help families and businesses lower the total cost of their electricity bills and avoid the need for new fossil-fuel power-generating plants to be built.
In the event that the price of the permits rises higher than expected, which could drive up the cost of electricity, any amount over $5 collected from the sale of each permit will be rebated directly to Maine ratepayers.
The legislation has received the support of environmental groups, industrial energy consumers and a bipartisan group of legislators.
In addition to the obvious environmental benefits of the proposal, there are significant economic benefits as well.
Locally produced renewable energy like wind, solar and hydroelectric power will not need to buy permits, giving them a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Producing power locally is far better than sending our energy dollars to other parts of the world.
Investments in energy efficiency will also help Maine businesses large and small to become more efficient, reducing an important cost of doing business.
In the event that a national policy on greenhouse gases is implemented, something that has become increasingly likely following a Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gases are pollutants, Maine consumers and businesses will be well positioned relative to counterparts in states that have not yet taken action.
Finally, RGGI dovetails nicely with Maine's energy policy goals. This legislation will help to lower the total cost of electricity to consumers through investments in energy efficiency.
The benefits of renewable energy under RGGI will help us to diversify our portfolio and reduce price volatility. And the environmental benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency are significant, providing for a more sustainable energy future for Maine.
- Special to the Press Herald
Reader comments
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Hyropower, windpower? No one in this state wants either anywhere near them. What a joke. We should limit the deadly emissions from Augusta for a start. report abuse
Try again. Maine had a lot snow until just a few weeks ago. Nothing new. Mexico NY got snow for a week steady. Some tard with PH.D after his name goes and looks at a glacier and sees it receding and can't explain it by scientific reason so it must be all the gases. It is the natural order of things most of the Earth was covered with ice it had to melt some time well it is still melting. When it is done melting it will start getting colder again its a cycle. report abuse
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