Madison....The Governor’s Global Warming Task Force released its final report earlier today. Although the Task Force started with the assumption “…that climate change is occurring and human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, is a major contributor to such change.”, the Task Force provided no mention of the recent leveling off of global temperatures, natural influences to climate change or the economic impact of their recommendations on individuals.
“How will Wisconsin achieve the goals set by the Task Force?” Representative Jim Ott asked. “The report urges voluntary actions but then uses the terms “legislate” or “legislation” 22 times, not to mention many references to words like mandate, regulate and require.”
The Task Force makes specific recommendations for greenhouse gas emission reduction goals – but it fails to mention how much their recommendations will cost the average Wisconsin citizen.
“There is no mention of how much more it is going to cost for you to drive your car, plow your field, heat your home, buy groceries or use electricity.” Ott stated. “What people really, fundamentally need to understand is that this Task Force is recommending a dramatic change in how we live our lives.”
Some specific Task Force recommendations include state imposed regulations to reduce miles driven by individuals, encouraging municipalities to increase the cost of on-street parking and an ethanol mandate. While the Task Force recommends easing of the nuclear plant moratorium, it does not recommend the building of a new plant or expansion of a current plant. Increasing Wisconsin’s use of nuclear energy would be the easiest way to significantly reduce our greenhouse emissions.
“If the recommendations of the Governor’s Global Warming Task Force are implemented, the impact on Wisconsin’s economy would be disastrous,” said Ott. “Our standard of living would change dramatically and there would be no appreciable benefit to the global climate.”
Representative Jim Ott spent thirty years as a broadcast meteorologist and is a member of the American Meteorologist Society.
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