Don Allen - March 13, 2008
Western Environmental Trade Association
Climate Change Survey
Calendars indicate that the first day of Spring arrives next week and many people in various parts of the U.S. would be happy to welcome milder weather than what they have experienced this winter. We in Montana know that our weather rarely follows any specific predictions of seasons or weather, but fortunately this winter has brought excellent snowfall, particularly in the higher elevations.
While the weather has always been a good conversation topic for speculating or complaining, today’s discussions are more likely to be about global warming or climate change.
The Legislature’s Environmental Quality Council has been reviewing 54 recommendations made by the Governor appointed Montana Climate Change Advisory Committee in its report of last November. For the month of February, the EQC posted a survey on its website which called for ranking each recommendation in terms of importance as well as offering comments on each recommendation. The survey was very lengthy and many of the recommendations dealt with technical and complex issues. A total of 1,986 surveys were completed, with 962 of those responding volunteering to include their names and/or affiliation. There was no limitation on the number of times any one person could take the survey. Obviously, the survey was not scientific, but it did give people on all sides a chance to offer their opinions. The total rankings on the recommendations did not provide one-sided results, but were fairly evenly divided between support and opposition. The EQC, meeting earlier this week, decided to give further consideration to the 15 recommendations receiving the most support and will review options for pursuing them at their next meeting.
There was some difference of opinion among Council members about global warming and man’s role in bringing about the small temperature increases in the world. Some of them agree with those who say that what is happening is the result of natural cycles not an increase in greenhouse gases. There is still much to learn about climate and what influences it. In the meantime, everyone can agree that it is vital that we conserve energy and reduce our dependence on foreign countries for oil. However, Montana is not California and one of the recommendations to follow their lead in adopting mileage standards would not work here where so many need pickups for their work. Auto manufacturers need to continue to produce vehicles that get better mileage and federal legislation will insure that they do.
One of the biggest concerns we have with all of the proposals and discussion related to this issue is that there is hardly any attention being given to the costs - especially to consumers - to implement the recommendations. Regardless of one’s perspective on any of the recommendations, it is essential that any of them that are going to be implemented either through legislation, rulemaking or Executive Order undergo serious cost/benefit analysis.
Montana is truly the Treasure State with abundant supplies of coal, oil, natural gas, wind, other minerals, timber and agricultural lands, all of which will play a role in being able to deal with the needs of our people as well as be a part of the climate scenario. Since it will be several years before adequate supplies of dependable, sustainable and cost effective fuels from alternative sources are available on a widespread basis, we need to responsibly develop the resources we have. There is a lot of research going on addressing challenges involved with transporting and storing CO2, which is a very important for being able to develop our vast coal reserves.
Regardless of what the EQC does with any of the recommendations, many of them, as well as other proposals are expected to be a big part of the 2009 Legislative Session.
This is Don Allen on behalf of the Western Environmental Trade Association.
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