|
Gary Johnson on Energy & Oil
Libertarian presidential nominee; former Republican NM Governor
|
|
|
Humans contribute to climate change, but no government role
Q: Consider climate change a serious threat? Limit or tax production of greenhouse gases?Martin Heinrich (D): Yes to both. Climate change is "devastating"--with "moral obligation to be responsible stewards of this earth."
Gary Johnson (L):
No. Says human activity is a contributing factor, but doesn't support government role in regulating.
Mick Rich (R): Unclear. Mentions but not as urgent issue. Says Sandia Labs coal plant filter can solve CO2 emissions.
Q: Support government subsidies for renewable energy?
Martin Heinrich (D): Yes. Championed renewable investments to "create thousands of new jobs."
Gary Johnson (L): No. Proposes "a free market approach,"
with technological innovation as only driver.
Mick Rich (R): No. Would only support renewable energy without government subsidies.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on New Mexico Senate race
, Oct 9, 2018
Man contributes to climate change, but no government fix
Johnson believes that it is NOT the proper role of government to engage in social and economic engineering for the purpose of manipulating the energy marketplace or creating winners and losers in what should be a robust free market. Such efforts have
failed in the past. Preventing a polluter from harming our water or air is one thing. Deciding in Washington DC that one source of energy should be subsidized and others penalized is a different matter.When it comes to global climate change, Johnson
believes too many politicians are having the wrong debate. Is the climate changing? Probably so. Is man contributing to that change? Probably so. The important question, however, is whether the government's efforts to regulate, tax and manipulate the
marketplace in order to impact that change are cost-effective--or effective at all. Given the realities of global energy and resource use, there is little evidence that the burden being placed on Americans is making a difference that justifies the cost.
Source: 2016 Presidential campaign website GaryJohnson2016.com
, Jan 11, 2016
Federal regulation makes fracking, coal mining, & nuclear OK
Johnson, and the Libertarian Party, supports the use of fossil fuels, presumably because they would be supported by the free market. While Johnson has expressed concern about pollution from fossil fuel combustion, he has also said that he would not want
the US to "turn their back" on these traditional fuels. He said "I'm going to keep an open mind on fracking," while reserving skepticism about its safety in relation to groundwater contamination. Johnson says that individuals' property rights trump
companies' rights to mountaintop removal coal mining, but he thinks that the current regulatory regime is already adequately dealing with the issue. Johnson has gone on the record as supporting nuclear power. He acknowledges that new nuclear
facilities are not likely to be built under a true free market model as private underwriters will not cover nuclear plants' liabilities, but--contrary to libertarian principles--would consider letting the federal government cover the role as underwriter.
Source: CleanEnergy.org, "Where Gov. Johnson Stands on Energy"
, Sep 18, 2012
Support renewables, but not with federal policy
Johnson seems to support renewable energy so long as the government does not play a special role in supporting its development. He is not opposed to renewable energy in theory, but seems to envision further technological innovation as the only
driver of renewable energy deployment, rather than through policy mechanisms. In one virtual town hall meeting,
Governor Johnson said that renewable energy could account for as much as 15% of the United States fuel mix in fifteen years, but that recent technological innovation does not indicate that number will be reached.Johnson is supportive of energy
efficiency so long as it is privately paid for, saying "the beauty of energy efficiency is that it needs no directive from a government central planner, because energy efficiency is cost efficiency, and Americans already have an incentive to cut costs."
Source: CleanEnergy.org, "Where Gov. Johnson Stands on Energy"
, Sep 18, 2012
Cap-&-trade imposes costs with no environmental improvement
A clean and safe environment is critical to us and to future generations. Government's role in protecting that environment is a fundamental one of protecting us from those who would do us harm.
That, however, does not require the government to "manage" the environment by attempting to reward or penalize us in order to direct our behaviors in the marketplace, in our homes, or in our lives. "Cap-and-trade"
and other tax schemes, regardless of what they are called, will do little or nothing to improve the environment--while imposing costs we cannot afford.
Effective long-term environmental stewardship and conservation are impossible without a healthy economy and the freedom to make responsible decisions.
Source: Seven Principles, by Gary Johnson, p.149-150
, Aug 1, 2012
Alternative energy good; ethanol subsidies bad
At his core, he's a free-market guy. Free markets for health care, for education, for energy.
He talks about alternative energy (good) and ethanol subsidies (bad).
Source: Lisa DePaulo in GQ Magazine
, Nov 1, 2011
Supports nuclear power
Q: Do you favor nuclear power?
A: Yes.
Source: Interview by Scott Holleran on scottholleran.com blog
, Aug 21, 2011
Current policy prevents common-sense energy development
Q: As President, if you could enact any policy to fix the economy without congressional approval what would it be? A: Change regulatory & enforcement policies that are preventing common-sense energy development. Millions of jobs would be created.
Many other regulatory approaches can be changed as well to create certainty for the private sector. As Governor of NM I had the best jobs record of anyone candidate, but didn't claim to creating one job. Government does not create jobs.
Source: 2011 Republican primary debate on Twitter.com
, Jul 21, 2011
No cap-and-trade; no taxing carbon emissions
He says he doesn't believe in cap-and-trade legislation, saying that "I do not believe that taxing carbon emissions is the way to go forward."
He also signed a law deregulating New Mexico's electricity market that allowed residential, small-business customers and schools to start shopping for their electricity supplier.
Source: Club for Growth 2012 Presidential White Paper #9: Johnson
, Jul 21, 2011
I accept global warming but not cap-and-trade
Q: What about climate?A: I accept the fact that there is global warming and I accept the fact that it's man caused. That said, I am opposed to cap and trade. I'm a free market guy when it comes to the clean environment the number-one factor when it
comes to the clean environment is a good economy.
Q: You don't think there's a policy response? It's making people richer that would help?
A: Good economies results in cleaner environment. That's been the history of the planet till this point.
Source: Tim Dickinson in Rolling Stone Magazine
, Jun 15, 2011
Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically.
Johnson 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.
Johnson 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
Federal tax incentives for energy, with state decisions.
Johnson co-sponsored the Western Governors' Association resolution:
- Western Governors find that states must continue to play a pivotal role in electric power decisions. Specifically:
- The existing authority of states over retail electric power sales and transmissions must be retained.
- Congress should allow states to create regional mechanisms to decide regional power issues.
- We need to pursue a national energy policy that will result in a diverse energy portfolio:
- New energy development: Enable exploration and development of promising domestic oil, gas, coal, geothermal or wind resources.
- Coal: Implement R&D and tax incentives to promote the development and deployment of new technologies.
- Renewables: Accelerate the development and deployment of promising renewable energy technologies through the extension and expansion of state and federal production tax credits.
- Environmental Regulation:
Review environmental and natural resource policies to ensure they are as efficient as possible.
- Permitting Energy Facilities: Streamline state, tribal and federal processes for siting new generation, electric transmission and natural gas pipelines.
- Energy Infrastructure: Support economic and environmentally sound energy infrastructure investments to transport energy to markets
- Energy efficiency and conservation: At a minimum:
- Encourage rate structures that give utilities and customers an incentive to reduce consumption.
- Encourage long-term stability of government and utility conservation programs.
- Review and improve the energy efficiency of building codes and appliance efficiency standards that recognize the unique conditions in the West (e.g., dry climates).
- Support federal, state and tribal tax incentives to accelerate the introduction of new energy efficient technologies.
Source: WGA Policy Resolution 01 - 01: Energy Policy Roadmap 01-WGA01 on Aug 14, 2001
Page last updated: Jan 07, 2019
