Note: Synopsis based on review of draft legislation as well as Congressional committee and media summaries. Synopsis intended solely for purposes of generating discussion.
Key Provisions of H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 (as of March 10, 2011)
- Would amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating or taking action on greenhouse gas emissions over concerns about climate change
- “Greenhouse gas” is defined as: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulpher hexaflouride, hydroflurocarbons, perflurocarbons, and any other substance subject to, or proposed to be subject to, regulation, action or consideration under the Clean Air Act over concerns about climate change
- Ten rules and actions related to the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases would be repealed and would no longer have legal effect
- Explicitly does not prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from addressing greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act for reasons other than climate change mitigation
- Explicitly does not prohibit federal research, development, and demonstration programs addressing climate change
- States would retain the right to adopt, amend, enforce, or repeal State laws and regulations pertaining to the emission of greenhouse gases
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The Upton/Whitfield/Inhofe (UWI) proposal of The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 is intended to stop the EPA from any regulation/taxation of greenhouse gas emissions. They say any policies on climate change should only be set by Congress.
The problem is that Congress has not developed a long-term strategy to address climate change and the energy crisis in general, and the impacts of this grow worse as time goes on. The Republican proponents of this Act do not believe climate change is a serious issue, do not favor developing a long-run government strategy to deal with energy/climate issues, and do not favor any new energy taxes. They don’t want the EPA or any branch of government enacting policies in this area.
In 2011, it is high time the Congress and the Obama administration step up to their responsibilities to move ahead with an effective national energy/environmental strategy. This strategy should include the following central elements: 1) Investment in new energy infrastructure: new transportation infrastructure (next-generation vehicle manufacturing plants, public transit and high-speed rail systems, multi-fuel service stations); new electric power infrastructure (renewable wind/solar/geothermal power and a new national, smart high-capacity, electric power network); new telecommunications infrastructure (high-speed wireline/wireless broadband access networks and advanced telecommunications infrastructure for high-quality videoconferencing and value-added services).
2) Investment in the development of new energy technologies as proposed by such groups as The American Energy Innovation Council.
3) Regulatory caps on emissions from major emitters of greenhouse gases such as coal-fired power plants. The EPA should enforce these caps.
4) An oil consumption tax and other carbon taxes to discourage oil/coal consumption, with the tax revenues invested directly in clean-energy infrastructure.
UWI states that new regulation and taxes hinder the US ability to compete with China and other countries. The execution of the above national energy strategy would establish the U.S. as the world leader in the efforts to prevent global warming, would reduce massive dollar outflows for expensive oil imports, would reduce military costs required to defend Persian Gulf oil, and would create major long-run export opportunities for clean-energy products and services. All countries must transition away from oil and oonventional coal use, and US leadership in this area will make the country much more competitive and successful in leading the transition to the clean-enery economy of the 21st century and beyond.
As I see it, UWI is really an acronym for “U Want Inaction” on energy policy. The Arabs in the Middle East are risking their lives to revolt against dictatorships limiting their opportunities. Surely, the American people can find the vision and courage to stand against short-sighted political tacticians and support the necessary actions to move our energy policy in the right long-term direction.