Take a moment to help reduce global warming caused by Wisconsin

Right now, Governor Doyle's Task Force on Global Warming is making very important decisions regarding global warming and Wisconsin. It is imperative that we, as Wisconsinites, weigh in on the process to be sure that our voices are heard.

Clean Wisconsin has chosen five top priorities. We ask you to please take a moment to provide a comment to the Task Force regarding these priorities:

1. Clean Cars
2. Cap and Trade Program on Large Stationary Sources
3. Renewable Energy Standard
4. Early Reductions for the Largest Polluters
5. Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Below are talking points on each priority. To submit your comments, please send an email to DNRGLOBALWARMTFCOMMENTS@wisconsin.gov.

1. Clean Cars

California pioneered this policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the tailpipe and since then, over ten other states have enacted a similar policy.

Talking Points (but please share your own views and experiences)

• Cars and trucks represent the second largest source of global warming pollution.
• The auto makers need to do their part to address global warming.
• There is no excuse for not making cars with lower global warming pollution. The technology is there, it doesn't cost any more.

2. Cap and Trade Program on Large Stationary Sources

A cap and trade program is one in which greenhouse gas emission are capped at some level (say 2010 emission levels) and then reduced over time by some percentage (or tonnage). A cap and trade program uses a market mechanism (trading of allowances, also called credits) to get the emission reductions in the most inexpensive way possible.

For example, a cap and trade program may require the large source polluters to reduce their emissions by 50% by 2015 and the polluters can comply with that requirement by actually reducing their emissions by 50% or they can use a combination of reductions and credits they could buy from other sources that reduce their emissions by more than 50%.

Talking points on the issue (but please share your own views and experiences)

• Wisconsin needs a strong cap and trade system to ensure we meet our long term goals to reduce global warming pollution.
• The cap and trade program for large stationary sources is a good way to reduce overall global warming emissions. Comments should ask that All large stationary sources of pollution should be covered, not only those managed by the utilities.
• Using the auction system to distribute credits or allowances, not simply giving them away to polluters is key to the success of a cap and trade program.
• Do not include an exemption if the program gets too expensive for polluters to comply.
• Please set limits for how "off-sets" factor into compliance.

3. Renewable Energy Standard

Many industry and environmental experts agree that Wisconsin could receive more than 25% of our energy from renewable resources by 2025. By producing power with clean, safe and affordable renewable energy Wisconsin can reduce our global warming emissions, spur economic development and minimize our dependence on out of state coal.

Talking points on the issue (but please share your own views and experiences)

• Comments should ask that the majority of the renewable energy produced because of this policy should be produced within Wisconsin to ensure that the economic and environmental benefits remain within the state.
• Producing renewable energy from the wind, sun and biofuels will create thousands of new jobs for Wisconsinites.
• Farmers and rural land owners can expect to see nearly $300 million in new income.
• Wisconsin's economy would benefit from over $724 million in new capital investments.
• Local units of government would benefit from tens of millions of dollars in new local tax revenues.
• 25 other states have adopted Renewable Electricity Standards. Many states (including Minnesota and Illinois) have more aggressive Renewable Electricity Standards than Wisconsin does.

4. Early Reductions for the Largest Polluters

Even if things move very quickly it will take several years to implement a cap and trade system to begin reducing our emissions. We need a plan to begin reducing global warming pollution today. There are several policy options available that can begin reducing emissions before the cap and trade system is implemented. The science tells us to begin reducing pollution immediately, so why wait?

Talking Points (but please share your own views and experiences)

• We need to begin reducing global warming pollution today. We cannot wait for a cap and trade system to be put in place; immediate reductions can be achieved by simply producing our energy with the cleanest fuels available.
• If all of the high efficiency natural gas plants in Wisconsin were used to displace energy from coal plants, Wisconsin would cut our global warming footprint by 6 to 10 million tons of pollution annually.
• Opponents of this system argue that natural gas is more expensive than coal, but when all of the health and environmental impacts from coal are taken into account, the high-efficiency natural gas plants are actually cheaper. The public health costs of coal are too high and we cannot continue to ignore them.
• Early reductions will do more to reduce the impacts of global warming because of the long period of time that greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere.
• It will cost more to address global warming if we wait.

5. Low Carbon Fuel Standard

This would mean that there would be a limit to how much carbon is in the fuel, but also factor in the carbon used in extracting the fuel, processing the fuel, and getting it to the market.

Talking Points (but please share your own views and experiences)

• A low carbon fuel standard will help ensure that we develop the best bio-fuels from a global warming standpoint but also for our water quality.
• It would encourage the development and commercialization of hybrid electric vehicles.
• It's one of the only ways to address the disproportionately high greenhouse gas emissions from tars and oil.
• It is important to look at the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of fuels even if not all of the reductions come in Wisconsin.