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Tommy Thompson on Energy & Oil
Former Secretary of H.H.S.; former Republican Governor (WI)
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More power plants and more transmission lines
There is no issue more crucial or critical to Wisconsin’s future right now than energy. We’re running out of it. Plain and simple. In Wisconsin, we simply don’t have enough power plants and transmission lines.
We’ve built some plants in the last few years, and our deregulation efforts have been hailed nationally as among the smartest -- in stark contrast to California. But this has only allowed us to get by.
We need to immediately pursue a balanced course of building more power plants and erecting more transmission lines. And we need a natural gas pipeline to make our supply more reliable. We can do all of these without harming the environment, despite what
the fear mongers claim. We’ve proven this in the past.
Without enough energy, not only will our existing businesses suffer, all those high-tech companies we want to attract will go elsewhere. High-technology runs on raw power, not wood stoves.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address
Jan 31, 2001
Great emission reduction achieved with voluntary program
Toxic Release Inventory Air Emissions have dropped more than 45 percent since 1989. These air quality improvements include a 90 percent reduction in airborne sulfur dioxide; a 30 percent reduction in airborne particulate matter;
and a 67 percent reduction in southeastern Wisconsin’s exposure to harmful ozone pollution. The Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air is a voluntary program to help achieve reductions in emissions from cars, businesses and home appliances.
Source: WI Governor’s website
Jan 8, 2001
Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically.
Thompson adopted the National Governors Association policy:
Considering the evidence and the risks of both overreaction and underreaction, the Governors recommend that the federal government continue its climate research, including regional climate research, to improve scientific understanding of global climate change. The Governors also recommend taking steps that are cost-effective and offer other social and economic benefits beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the Governors support voluntary partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while achieving other economic and environmental goals. - The Governors are committed to working in partnership with the federal government, businesses, environmental groups, and others to develop and implement voluntary programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in conjunction with conserving energy, protecting the environment, and strengthening the economy.
- The Governors urge that those
who have successfully achieved reductions of greenhouse emissions receive appropriate credit for their early actions. The Governors strongly encourage these kinds of voluntary efforts.
- The Governors believe that federally required implementation of any treaty provisions, including those that mandate limits or reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, must not occur before the U.S. Senate ratifies an international agreement and Congress passes enabling legislation.
- The Governors support continued federal funding for research and development technology in this area. They also believe it is essential to engage the private sector by fostering technology partnerships between industry and government. Public-private partnerships serve to achieve desired environmental goals, speed the introduction of new technologies to the marketplace, and meet consumer needs and product affordability goals, while avoiding market distortions and job losses.
Source: NGA policy NR-11, Global Climate Change Domestic Policy 00-NGA3 on Aug 15, 2000
Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries.
Thompson adopted the National Governors Association policy:
The Governors recommend that the federal government continue to seek the advice of state and local officials and nongovernmental organizations with expertise in economic, trade, jobs, public health, and environmental issues and assess the potential economic and environmental consequences of proposed policies and measures, including a thorough and broadly accepted analysis of costs and benefits. The Governors recommend that the US: - not sign or ratify any agreement that mandates new commitments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the US, unless such an agreement mandates new specific scheduled commitments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions for developing countries within the same compliance period;
- aggressively undertake strategies for including emissions-reduction commitments from developing countries;
- not sign or ratify any agreement that would result in serious harm to the US economy;
- support flexible policies and measures in
continuing negotiations that provide an opportunity for the US to meet global environmental goals without jeopardizing US jobs, trade, or economic competitiveness;
- insist on flexible implementation timetables in continuing negotiations that permit affected parties adequate time to plan strategies for meeting commitments; and
- ensure that no single sector, state, or nation is disproportionately disadvantaged by the implementation of international policies.
If appropriate international commitments are established and are ratified by the US, the Governors believe implementation should be allowed to be achieved through cost-effective market-based activities, which account for scientifically verifiable and accountable reductions in greenhouse gas levels regardless of where the reductions are achieved. Any multinational emissions trading program must provide a flexible and workable framework that takes full advantage of market forces and maximizes international participation.
Source: NGA policy NR-11, Climate Change International Policy 00-NGA4 on Aug 15, 2000
Page last updated: Feb 08, 2010