Kiyo Matsumoto and Paul Gardephe

Floor Speech

KIYO MATSUMOTO AND PAUL GARDEPHE -- (Senate - July 17, 2008)

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Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I think we all agree that balancing environmental with energy goals can be a challenge, but it is a challenge we must confront now.

Members of this body have discussed various proposals to regulate the output of greenhouse gases. Some advocate doing it though a cap-and-trade approach. Others have advocated a carbon tax. Such proposals are aimed at limiting future carbon output into the atmosphere.

Discussion and debate is not enough. We need action now. One resource often overlooked is coal. Despite the recent pace in developing clean coal technologies, America cannot afford to simply give up on this challenge. Coal is an abundant, affordable, reliable, and secure energy source. It has the potential to become an even cleaner fuel.

I believe another solution to protect our environment and our economy can be found in the GEAR Act. This bill takes a new look at climate change by tapping into human potential and the American spirit to develop the technological solutions we need to address climate change.

Recently, there was a very thoughtful editorial written by Shawn Taylor which was printed in the ``Wyoming Livestock Roundup'' on July 12, 2008. Shawn is the executive director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association. I believe he does a terrific job of summing up the feelings of Wyoming people on the need to take action balancing climate change goals while keeping bills affordable.

I ask unanimous consent to have the editorial to which I referred printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

WAS CHICKEN LITTLE RIGHT?
(By Shawn Taylor)

Is the sky falling? In the past I would have responded to this question by saying, ``It depends on whom you ask,'' but in today's world you'll be hard pressed to find anyone involved in the energy/environmental/business/agriculture, etc. industries that would argue with Chicken Little.

Whether you agree with those who subscribe to the man-made global warming theory, or those who think the status quo is acceptable, or somewhere in between, you can find a scientist with numbers to argue your case. But I would like to try to focus on some political, physical and, economic realities.

First, pressure is mounting in Congress to do something about climate change. Both presidential candidates have stated they support a cap and trade approach to curb emissions of carbon dioxide. While political debates in Washington, D.C. may seem far away the outcome will have a direct impact on you, whether you're in the agriculture industry, a small business owner or just own a house and have to pay your utility bill.

Experts now say some areas of the country will be short of power within one or two years. Climate change is but one aspect of a looming energy crisis created by increasing demand and decreasing capacity to meet that demand.

While Wyoming's elected representatives in D.C. are sympathetic and understand these issues, many in D.C. aren't spending a lot of time on the energy supply issue. The desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly without regard to our national economy and giving short shrift to technology-driven solutions, and the growing demand for power are about to collide and form, excuse the cliché, the perfect storm.

Second, while all Americans need to start being more efficient with their energy usage, energy conservation cannot meet the nation's power needs alone. While the development of more renewable resources helps diversify and strengthen our energy supplies, they are not the silver bullet solution to climate change. We need everything we can get our hands on in the near future, just to keep the lights on, to say nothing of a long-term energy policy.

Third, to avert an energy crisis, the federal government must exercise true leadership. Without that leadership--without a sound, responsible plan--government risks not only the reliability of our electric system, but literally the ability of many Americans to be able to afford to pay their electric bill. Consumers could be paying a higher bill each month without the guarantee the lights will stay on.

Folks in Wyoming and across the country need to start a dialogue with their elected officials at every level by asking the following questions:

Balancing electricity needs and environmental goals will be difficult. How much is this effort going to increase my electric bill; what will you do to make it affordable; and in the end, will these emissions reduction goals have a global impact?

Experts say our nation's growing electricity needs will soon go well beyond what renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency can provide. What is your plan to make sure we have the electricity we'll need in the future? What are you doing to fully fund the research required to make emissions free electric plants an affordable reality?

I encourage you to contact your representatives and senators and ask them these questions and ask they pose the same questions to their colleagues.

You don't need to be an energy expert to ask questions. You I do need to be aware you may not be able to pay your utility bill in the future, or that there might not even be a utility bill to pay! Asking questions helps find the answers to solve the problem of balancing climate change goals while keeping your electricity reliable and your bills affordable.

Right now members of Congress, as well as state elected officials, are hearing from lots of different interest groups with ideas about how to address climate change or global warming or emissions reductions, whatever you want to call it. While I write this as the Executive Director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association, the problems we face are pretty much universal, and the one group that, to date, has been left out of the conversation is the consumer. We need a plan people can live with today while we deal with the long-term issue of balancing energy policy and environmental policy.

To make things easy there is a website to allow you, the consumer, to contact your Congressional delegation and ask them the questions mentioned above. The website www.ourenergy.coop was established by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association but you don't have to be a member of a co-op to ask these questions, you just have to be concerned about the approach D.C. is taking.

Policy makers far too often don't ask questions until something goes wrong. We believe it makes sense to know the answers before the laws are passed. You can help your elected officials and yourself by having this conversation.

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