Breaking news is that Sen. Joe Manchin will not support Sen. Tina Smith’s clean energy program. He is opposed to taxpayers paying private energy companies to do the right thing. We need a climate solution that pays for itself. Does this sound too good to be true? Fortunately, it is not. Carbon pricing is a climate solution that will rapidly reduce carbon emissions, cutting them by 50% by 2030 and costing taxpayers nothing.
How does this work? A price is placed on carbon at the point of origin (the oil well, coal mine or natural gas plant) that makes polluters pay for carbon pollution. This pollution fee is collected by the government. One-hundred% of their fees collected by the government (minus administrative costs) are returned to households each month as a dividend or carbon cashback. Studies have shown that two-third of American households will come out ahead because the cashback will more than offset any increased costs in energy usage.
Carbon fees (polluter fees) and dividends are both good for the economy and even better for people.
Carbon pricing (in some form) is used in every developed country in the world with the exception of the United States and Australia.
We need a carbon solution that pays for itself. Please let President Biden know by emailing him at cclusa.org/white-house.
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Lucy Grina
Two Harbors
The writer is a member of the Citizens Climate Lobby.
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