Bill Text: MO HCR46 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind its formal endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and urges our congressional delegation to vote against H.R. 2454 known as "Cap and Trade"
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-05-14 - Adopted (H) - AYES: 113 NOES: 41 [HCR46 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2010-HCR46-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 46
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES FUNDERBURK (Sponsor), BIVINS, FISHER (125), ZERR, GUERNSEY, KOENIG, WELLS, RUESTMAN, NOLTE, SCHOELLER, BURLISON, GRISAMORE, SMITH (14), NIEVES, SCHAAF, PRATT, MUNZLINGER, SANDER, STREAM, SMITH (150), DIEHL, PARKINSON, DAY, DIECKHAUS, TRACY, BIERMANN, CASEY, HARRIS, SHIVELY, HODGES, FRAME, SCAVUZZO, SCHIEFFER, FISCHER (107), ENGLUND, KOMO, JONES (89), GATSCHENBERGER AND ALLEN (Co-sponsors).
Whereas, energy policy and regulation are vital to Missouri's economy and which have a direct impact on Missouri families, farmers, businesses, and employees; and
Whereas, H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, also known as the "Waxman-Markey" and "Cap and Trade", passed by the United States House of Representatives and now pending before the United States Senate, will have a dramatic effect on every American, increase the cost of supplying homes and businesses with electricity, cause job losses, and impose burdensome costs on the poor and families with incomes of less than $10,000 annually for whom energy costs today make up 60% of their average family expenses, and for families with incomes of $10,000 to $25,000 annually, such costs make up 25% of their average family expenses; and
Whereas, on December 7, 2009, the Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed two distinct findings regarding greenhouse gases under Section 202(c) of the federal Clean Air Act:
(1) Endangerment Finding: the Administrator finds that the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexaflouride (SF6) - in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations;
(2) Cause and Contribute Finding: the administrator finds that the combined emissions of these well-mixed greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution which threatens public health and welfare; and
Whereas, this finding by the EPA, if implemented, will cost Missouri jobs and raise electric rates on families, farmers, businesses, and employees; and
Whereas, the people of Missouri are dependent on coal for their electricity, obtaining approximately 80 - 85% of electrical energy from coal for their homes, farms, and businesses. This heavy dependence on coal is common throughout the Midwestern states; and
Whereas, Missouri's electric rates consistently rank among the lowest cost states in the union, and is one of only three states in the United States to see electricity rates drop in the years 2000 to 2008, and by the largest percentage (6%), making Missouri attractive to business and industry, creating jobs, and making Missouri a low-cost place to live; and
Whereas, the technology of the 21st Century is providing cleaner yet still affordable baseload electrical generation from coal, including Super Critical Pulverized Coal (Prairie State in Illinois) and Ultra Supercritical Pulverized Coal (Turk in Arkansas) as well as developing options for coal to liquids, coal to gas, and carbon sequestration; and
Whereas, the focus in Missouri and throughout the coal-dependent Midwest should be on how to use technology to burn coal more cleanly and move towards cleaner burning options like Ultra Supercritical Pulverized Coal, rather than a punitive system that drives up costs, leads to lower baseload energy production, and inhibits or prevents progress on a fuel that the United States has in abundance within its own borders:
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby:
(1) Request that our elected statewide officials express their opposition to the further acceptance or approval of the Environmental Protection Agency formal endangerment finding on greenhouse gases;
(2) Convey that it is not well taken by and harmful to the State of Missouri;
(3) Urge the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind their recent formal endangerment finding on greenhouse gases; and
Be it further resolved that the Missouri General Assembly hereby urges our Missouri Congressional delegation to vote against H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy Act of 2009, and further requests that our elected statewide officials express their respective positions on the passage of H.R. 2454 and send a unified message to our Missouri Congressional delegation; and
Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for Governor Jay Nixon, President Barack Obama, President of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.
