Cap and Trade Part 1:

I sent Congressman Boswell an email after I found out that he, along with all the other Iowa Democrats, voted for Cap and Trade. I informed him of how it would hurt Iowans and most of Americans by increasing their costs of energy.

This is his response. I found it difficult to read, as I was very irate because I thought that this was just a "canned" message that was given to all congressmen to send out to anyone who complained about the vote. This seems to be a good place to post his response:


I appreciate you taking the time to share with me your views regarding energy, climate change, and the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The views of my fellow Iowans are an essential component of my decision making process as a Member of Congress.

I believe the science is clear: carbon dioxide emissions are contributing to unprecedented climate changes. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned repeatedly that unless the industrial world acts soon, projected increases in emissions over the next fifty years will lead to drastic ecological changes, endangering countless species and human health.

However, experts predict that by expanding efficiency strategies using existing technologies, we could eliminate more than twenty-percent of the world's energy demand by 2020. This challenge also presents an opportunity to put Americans back to work in green-collar jobs that reduce our energy use while protecting our environment for future generations.

In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that EPA was required under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases, including CO2. This spring, the EPA issued an "endangerment finding", signaling their preparation to comply with the court's decision. Without Congressional action I believe EPA will move forward with regulation which would harm all Iowans, including farmers, businesses, and consumers

On June 26, 2009 the House passed the bi-partisan American Clean Energy and Security Act, also known as ACES. While this bill is not perfect - few usually are - I am pleased that it will harness the most innovative workforce in the world to create a clean energy future, creating millions of jobs in the process. Energy independence is vital to our national security and economic future, and this legislation advances this goal while confronting the serious and real challenge of climate change.

News reports documented my early concerns with the bill. I made those objections known to Chairmen Peterson and Waxman, and am pleased that over 90 percent were remedied, and as a result, this bill is much better than it was before. However, one key concern remains. As currently written, this legislation provides local utility distribution companies with allowances through a formula equally weighted between historic emissions and retail sales. This is not good for Iowa or the Midwest!

I am still fighting to have the formula changed so that distributed allowances are based solely on historic emissions. Since the intent of the legislation is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the intent of providing allowances is to protect consumers from price increases, basing allowances on retail sales reduces the legislation's effectiveness. Coal-reliant states like those in the Midwest should not be disproportionately penalized. As a country we should be in this together and should not be picking winners or losers.

While this issue was not fixed in the House passed version of ACES, I have already been in contact with my colleagues in the Senate on this issue. I will continue to work to ensure Iowa is treated fairly by any energy and environmental legislation, and continue to work to ensure Iowa plays a prominent role in further negotiation.

Another reason I supported this legislation is that we must break our bondage to OPEC. This bill uses market incentives to move away from carbon-based energy. It makes historical investments in clean coal and Smart Grid Technology. This bill will also ensure that the U.S. biofuels industry can continue to provide us with domestically produced renewable fuels.

This bill is also an economic issue for Iowa's families. Estimates on ACES say more than 1.7 million new clean energy jobs will be created. Don't we want clean energy jobs? Of course we do. We live in a global world and the future of that world will belong to the nation's that develop renewable energy. China spends six times more on renewable energy than we do and Spain, Denmark, and Portugal produce more wind power than the United States. This bill incentivizes renewable energy production.

Finally, agriculture plays a pivotal role in ACES. After weeks of intense negotiations between members of the Energy and Commerce and Agriculture Committees a monumental deal was struck. There is a robust offset provision for agriculture and forestry producers which recognizes early adaptors. The offset program run by USDA creates a new market opportunity for farmers, ranchers and forestland owners who can play an important role in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Agricultural producers have been participating in conservation and carbon sequestration programs for many years, working to increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support a renewable energy industry. This legislation recognizes those efforts and encourages these important activities.

I appreciate you taking the time to allow me to explain why I supported the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This legislation creates a new energy policy and address the global climate crisis. I am glad that this legislation preempts potentially devastating regulation by the EPA and am also pleased that it would harness the most innovative workforce in the world to create a clean energy future, creating millions of jobs in the process. Energy independence is vital to our national security and economic future, and this legislation advances this goal while confronting the serious challenge of climate change.

The 111th Congress faces many significant challenges, and economic recovery is vital if we are to meet them. As a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I will continue building upon the job creation opportunities that we have brought to the 3rd District in order to provide the stimulus Iowa needs. I periodically provide electronic updates on issues I think my constituents might be interested in. If you would like to receive the E-newsletter, please sign up at my Web Site at http://boswell.house.gov. As always, please feel free to contact me or my office if ever you think we may be of assistance.



Sincerely,





Leonard L. Boswell

Member of Congress



LLB:an