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Greenhouse emissions could be down by 2020

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Also by Beth Mueller:

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State looks to give green appliances tax break (January 25, 2008)
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Victims bill to Doyle's desk (January 24, 2008)
Doyle urges students to utilize Covenant (January 24, 2008)

by Beth Mueller

Monday, January 28, 2008

Wisconsin could reduce its greenhouse emissions to levels similar to the year 1990 by 2020, if state lawmakers decide to follow a plan released by an environmental group Friday.

Wisconsin Environment’s “Blueprint for Action on Global Warming in Wisconsin” outlines strategies for the emissions reductions proposed in the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act, currently stalled in committees in both houses of the Legislature.

“That kind of reduction would be in line with what the scientists are recommending,” said Dan Kohler, director of Wisconsin Environment. “We drafted this plan to point out how achievable this goal is.”

Some key points of the 75-page plan include: putting a moratorium on new coal power plants, capping emissions and implementing a carbon credit trading system for companies that cannot reduce emissions, strengthening energy efficiency programs, and requiring 20 percent of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.

Essentially, Kohler said, the plan provides a feasible way of executing the cuts in CO2 emissions that would be mandated by the Safe Climate Act.

“I authored the bill because I believe one of the greatest threats facing our future is global warming,” Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said. “Global warming can have catastrophic consequences for Wisconsin and the rest of the world in the years and decades to come.”

Rep. Joe Parisi, D-Madison, a co-sponsor of the Assembly bill, said the Legislature has put off acting on climate change for too long, adding the bill has been kicked around committees for months.

“I think there are a number of different ways we can reach these goals with current technology,” Parisi said. “The technology is there, the know-how is there; we just need the political will.”

Both Democrats said the Republicans in the Assembly are responsible for the legislation’s slow progress, and Parisi added, “Assembly Republicans just don’t seem to be concerned about climate change.”

Rep. Jim Ott, R-Mequon, is co-chair of the Natural Resources Committee where the Assembly legislation is currently stalled and an opponent of the bill.

“Wisconsin’s impact (on CO2 levels) is a tiny drop in a huge bucket, especially compared to countries like India and China,” Ott said.

Ott said enacting the legislation would be “the same as doing nothing” in terms of affecting CO2 levels and global warming, but it would create a huge bureaucracy and pass costs of reducing emissions on to consumers.

“I’m not convinced that the majority of the recent warming is due to human activity. I don’t think we know for sure,” Ott added.

Kohler said states should take steps against global warming one by one.

“The federal government has not yet taken action on [addressing climate change] … and so some states have begun to move forward on that,” Kohler said.

Wisconsin Environment’s plan also includes adopting the California Clean Cars Program.

Ott, however, said if legislation limiting emissions were enacted it should be at the federal level and have “meaningful” international support.

“If one state passes legislation like this, it’s going to be at a disadvantage,” Ott said. “If one country passes legislation, then that country is going to be at a disadvantage.”

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Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 8:17am):

Wisconsin is wise to stay well clear of the liberal's global warming hoax, more recently renamed the "climate change" hoax.

Every political party needs a "boogerman" to run against. Algore and his leemings have conjured up and cobbled together their weather hoax to counter the very real threat Pres. Bush is facing in saving our country and the world from terrorism.

GO HILDEBEAST!

Anonymous (January 28, 2008 @ 2:59pm):

I guess I'm just going to have to make sure that I expand my carbon footprint by 2020. Its unfortunate that the liberals of this nation have highjacked politics with the hoax of "global warming" and those in power have succumbed to their alarmist "cause."

I say fire up that Hummer, be happy and you'll surely piss a liberal off ;-)

Anonymous (January 30, 2008 @ 9:12pm):

Hi!
Great to find a conservative enclave in LaFolletteLand (WI)
I always liked Al Ott. He used to be a salesman and my Dad really trusted him. That says a lot to me.

I wrote a book about energy, actually wind energy.
It is titled "Wind Power...It Blows!"
Al Gore is not 'featured', mentioned instead for what he really is. Alarmist, 100%
Thanks
minkwinkdink

Mike Winkler

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