Local News
Local businesses looking toward renewable energy, as county board endorses carbon fee
La Crosse County is taking a stand to fight against climate change.
Last week, the county board unanimously voted to endorse the idea of a national carbon fee aimed at reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Supervisor Mike Giese said some large local employers could benefit from the suggested revenue-neutral fee.
“In La Crosse County, it could have a great deal of influence favorably for any entity that’s migrating to non-fossil fuels, be it wind, solar or whatever,” Giese said. “Trying to articulate a more direct relationship with power providers, municipalities and the county to help migrate towards a non-fossil fuel generation.”
Even though some La Crosse city council members have balked at the idea of speaking out on national politics, Giese believes voters want the county board to weigh in on important issues.
There has been disagreement on whether topics like carbon emissions being debated by the La Crosse city council and county board, Giese said employers in the area will have to deal with the problem eventually. Some already are taking action, like Gudnersen, Kwik Trip, Trane and Chart, according to Giese.
“They’ve really staked a lot of their business future migrating towards non-fossil fuels,” he said.
Jan Freed
December 27, 2017 at 3:18 pm
Yes! Why even bother with the paid deniers and front groups who thrive creating the delay of a false climate debate?
A revenue neutral carbon fee with a dividend, makes enormous sense (cents, too)! !
Economists and scientists say it is the best way to create healthy and safe communities. It is not a tax. This way citizens would RECEIVE the carbon fees as a monthly check, for example. That would protect us from price spikes in dirty energy.
Polluters PAY the fees, so it holds fossil fuel corporations responsible for the damages. or “externalities”, they cause, hundreds of billions of dollars per year (Harvard School of Medicine).
It would more rapidly limit further pollution than by regulations alone, as happened in BC Canada with a similar, popular policy. BC lowered emissions and also lowered taxes with their fees.
A study by respected non-partisan Regional Economic Modeling, Inc. found the dividends would help to create 2.9 million additional jobs in 20 years, while reducing carbon emissions 50% in that time, as fees stimulate low carbon technologies . http://citizensclimatelobby.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/REMI-National-SUMMARY.pdf
To those who reject the science: perhaps nothing will change your mind. But what have you got against cleaner air, less asthma in our kids, fewer heart attacks, and more money (the dividend) in your pockets?
To those accepting the science: Any effort to limit the problem of climate trauma is worth it. For example: the cost of sea level rise ALONE is so great that no effort to prevent it is unwarranted.
Elon Musk was asked “what can we do? ” Musk: “I would say whenever you have the opportunity, talk to the politicians.,,,,. We have to fix the unpriced externality [social cost]. I would talk to your friends about it and fight the propaganda from the carbon industry.”
Jan Freed
December 27, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Yes! Why even bother with the paid deniers and front groups who thrive creating the delay of a false climate debate?
A revenue neutral carbon fee with a dividend, makes enormous sense (cents, too)! !
Economists and scientists say it is the best way to create healthy and safe communities. It is not a tax. This way citizens would RECEIVE the carbon fees as a monthly check, for example. That would protect us from price spikes in dirty energy.
Polluters PAY the fees, so it holds fossil fuel corporations responsible for the damages. or “externalities”, they cause, hundreds of billions of dollars per year (Harvard School of Medicine).
It would more rapidly limit further pollution than by regulations alone, as happened in BC Canada with a similar, popular policy. BC lowered emissions and also lowered taxes with their fees.
A study by respected non-partisan Regional Economic Modeling, Inc. found the dividends would help to create 2.9 million additional jobs in 20 years, while reducing carbon emissions 50% in that time, as fees stimulate low carbon technologies
To those who reject the science: perhaps nothing will change your mind. But what have you got against cleaner air, less asthma in our kids, fewer heart attacks, and more money (the dividend) in your pockets?
To those accepting the science: Any effort to limit the problem of climate trauma is worth it. For example: the cost of sea level rise ALONE is so great that no effort to prevent it is unwarranted.
Elon Musk was asked “what can we do? ” Musk: “I would say whenever you have the opportunity, talk to the politicians.,,,,. We have to fix the unpriced externality [social cost]. I would talk to your friends about it and fight the propaganda from the carbon industry.”