By Ben Phillpott, KUT News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-861875.mp3
Austin, TX –
The leaders of the U.S. and China spoke before the United Nations today, each side claiming an effort to reduce greenhouse gasses but on their own terms. Without upsetting their own national economies. Texas governor Rick Perry has spoke out against a proposed climate control bill that he says would dramatically upset the Texas economy. KUT's Ben Philpott reports Governor Perry and others spoke on the issue at a day-long agency hearing at the Capitol.
Mr. Perry kicked off the event by calling the Waxman-Markey Climate Change Bill a monstrosity and a direct threat to the Texas economy because of studies that show the bill will result in much higher energy costs.
Perry: "These energy taxes will cause every product that uses energy to become more expensive. Forcing hard working Texans to bear substantial new costs -- and kicking a hole in our state's economic strength."
Perry was joined by railroad commissioners, the state Agriculture commissioner - and others who listed the different costs the bill would generate to Texans and Texas business owners. Instead of the capping and trading of carbon credits - Perry would like to see the Federal government focus on incentives. And at least on that issue - the governor and some environmentalists agree.
Smith: "Incentives work - and I agree with Perry on that. If we design a careful package of incentives we can change behavior and we can create new industries."
Tom "Smitty" Smith is director of Public Citizen Texas. He sat on a panel of environmental and consumer advocates event. Smith argues Perry's focus on incentives and his opposition to the federal bill glosses over concerns that the state's air quality could get worse in the future.
Smith: "Governor Perry is also ignoring the fact that these agencies have permitted - or are in the process of permitting - 11 new coal plants. Which will add 77-million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere."
The climate control bill has already passed the House and is being worked on in the Senate. Texas Republicans and even 3 Democrats voted against the bill in the House.