Dawson Public Power

Interestingly enough, both sides of the cap and trade proposal spout out facts that support their position. One would expect nothing less. So, who are we to believe? I admit I’m conservative, a lot more on the right than the left but I’m also cautious about believing EVERYTHING I read or hear regardless of the side.

Look at global warming. Here’s the only position to take on behalf of my utility: It doesn’t matter what we think, it matters what our customers think. According to a recent Nebraska survey, 30% of Nebraska electric customers think climate change is a very serious issue and 36% think it’s somewhat serious. Sixty-six percent should make utilities sit up and take note.

This is a large issue – and when large issues hit Washington D.C. – we get to see grandstanding. The question one has to ask, regardless of being on the right or the left – who BEST benefits from the cap and trade proposal?

Here’s where the $buck$ starts rolling….polluters (generating stations or other large industries) will be asked to pay fees to purchase permits which allow them to release a set amount of CO2 into the air. The idea is to get those polluters to change work processes to lessen CO2 emissions.

Those permits will be allocated by the federal government; then they will be traded on Wall Street. So our government gets a lot of money (in which they will likely reallocate these funds to other programs), traders and brokers will get millions, and our customers get to foot the bill by paying higher electric bills based on utilities needing to pass on those costs.

Senator Waxman (D-Calif) introduced a 648-page discussion draft on climate change legislation March 31. Surprise, surprise....while it applies to all emissions, regulation begins with utility compliance.

I am particularly fond of those people who believe that reducing CO2 emissions in the United States will have a profound impact on the entire world. It won’t. All it will mean is our customers get to pay higher electric rates without benefit of “SAVING THE PLANET.”

Oh sure, we get to claim “We’ve done our part.” Throw up your hands, walk away, and smell the coffee…it probably came from India and they have decided NOT to change anything per an April 13th article titled “India Rejects Calls for Emission Cuts.” in the Washington Post; N.p. All we will do is accelerate America’s economic decline because companies will relocate to China or India.

For the record, I’m inclined to believe that Nebraska’s legislative leaders do understand our position.

Gwen Kautz, Customer Service Manager