(Madison) – Late yesterday,
the Assembly blocked discussion of the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act (Assembly
Bill 157), which would cap global warming emissions and promote clean,
homegrown energy like wind and solar power, and increase energy efficiency
measures.
“We know a changing climate
will harm Wisconsin’s environment, our economy and public health,” said Dan
Kohler, Wisconsin Environment Director. “Given this threat, solving
global warming should be a top priority in the statehouse. It is
disappointing the Assembly has blocked debate on the issue. The Senate
should step up to the plate and show leadership for global warming solutions by
debating and adopting the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act.”
Wisconsinites support strong
action to address global warming. A November 2007 poll by the Forest County
Potawatomi Community found an overwhelming majority of Wisconsin voters (84%)
favor action by the State of Wisconsin to reduce emissions, like carbon
dioxide, that lead to global warming. In recent weeks, thousands of citizens
have contacted the Legislature calling for passage of the Wisconsin Safe
Climate Act.
AB 157 and its companion SB
81, the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act, requires a comprehensive plan to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions, which lead to global warming, to 1990 levels by the
year 2020. Other provisions in AB 157 include establishing a reporting system
of greenhouse gas emissions, allowing for the use of market mechanisms, such as
credit trading, to achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions at least cost,
and creating an emergency provision to halt implementation of the regulation in
the case of economic problems or catastrophic events.
“Reducing
carbon emissions is not only the right thing to do for the environment and
public health and safety; it is the right thing to do for the economy,” stated
Jon Geenen, International Vice President of United Steelworkers. “Transitioning
to new cleaner energy will clearly result in the development of new technology
and new markets, but equally important will generate high quality family
sustaining jobs.”
Wisconsin is already behind
several other states that have adopted plans for reducing global warming. Most
notably, in May 2007, Minnesota adopted “The Global Warming Mitigation Act”
which states that it is the goal of the state to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions to 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. Other states that have
adopted strong global warming plans include New Jersey, California, Hawaii,
Washington, Connecticut, Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona, Maine, and Florida. A
dozen other states are currently developing global warming plans.
“Scientists continue to amass data showing the disastrous ecological and economic consequences of global warming
pollution,” said Shahla Werner, Ph.D., Director of the John Muir Chapter of the
Sierra Club. “Other states have acted to solve global warming and citizens are
demanding that it is time for Wisconsin to do its share.”
AB 157 never even had public
hearing in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. SB 81 had a public
hearing in the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee in September
that drew over 100 citizens in favor of the bill. SB 81 was voted out of
the committee on October 31, 2008 but was referred to the Joint Finance
Committee where it has not moved.
“We call upon the Senate to act this session
on this critical issue. We cannot wait until 2009 to have leadership on
global warming,” said Adrienne Roach, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters Southeast
Organizer. “We urge citizens to thank their representative if they voted
in favor of solving global warming and to contact their senator and ask for a
vote on SB 81 before the session is over.”
Representatives voting in favor of AB 157 were:
Benedict, Berceau, Black, Boyle, Colon, Cullen, Fields, Garthwaite, Grigsby,
Gronemus, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Hintz, Hixson Hraychuck, Hubler, Jorgensen, Kessler,
Kreuser, Krusick, Mason, Molepkse, Nelson, Parisi, Pocan, Pope-Roberts,
Richards, Schneider, Seidel, Sheridan, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Smith,
Soletski, Staskunas, Steinbrink, Toles, Travis, Turner, Van Akkeren, Vruwink,
Wasserman, A.Williams, Young and Zepnick.
Representatives voting against AB 157 were: Albers,
Ballweg, Bies, Davis, Fitzgerald, Friske, Gottlieb, Gunderson, Gundrum, Hahn,
Hines, Honadel, Huebsch, Jeskewitz, Kaufert, Kerkman, Kestell, Kleefisch,
Kramer, Lasee, LeMahieu, Lothian, Meyer, Montgomery, Moulton, Mursau, Murtha,
Musser, Nass, Nerison, Newcomer, Nygren, A. Ott, J. Ott, Owens, Petersen,
Petrowski, Pridemore, Rhoades, Stone, Strachota, Suder, Tauchen, Townsend, Van
Roy, Vos, Vukmir, Wieckert, M. Williams, Wood,
Zipperer, and Ziegelbauer.
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