[StBernard] Landrieu Comments on Her vote to Stop Flawed Climate Bill

[Westley Annis]

Landrieu Comments on Her vote to Stop Flawed Climate Bill
Bill would put a disproportionate burden on energy producing states.

 

WASHINGTON - United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today commented
on her vote against the climate change bill. The Senate today voted 48-36
against the bill, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold on this procedural
vote.

Sen. Landrieu said:

"This climate change bill would have been detrimental to Louisiana because
it placed a disproportionate regulatory burden on the states that produce
energy and manufactured goods, rather than the states that use the goods and
burn the energy.  This approach places a disproportionate amount of the
costs on energy producing states like Louisiana, rather than consuming
states that do not work to conserve. As a result, this is an inefficient
method of addressing America's greenhouse gas emissions.

"The bill actually discourages domestic energy production at a time when we
cannot afford to become more dependent on foreign energy sources.  I
proposed an amendment that would identify the nation's top 10 areas
currently off limits to development to gather the data we need for an
informed debate on expanding domestic energy production. 

"I was also very concerned that the bill would raise the price of our best
supply of low-carbon fuel: natural gas. Natural gas will be the nation's
'bridge fuel' until we can build enough clean coal and nuclear power plants
and develop new, alternate sources of energy to meet our needs. As written,
this bill would have restricted natural gas supply and increased costs.  I
introduced an amendment that would have excluded natural gas from these
proposed new regulations and would have greatly reduced the costs of climate
change legislation.

"Finally, the bill did not do enough to protect American manufacturers from
foreign competitors, like China and India, who are not required to comply
with such regulations.  Under the bill's framework, any reduction in
America's emissions would simply be offset by an increase in greenhouse gas
emissions in places like China. To combat this, I offered an amendment that
would have leveled this playing field in the global marketplace."

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