House Cap-and-Trade Bill Will Hurt Local Electrical Utilities

By Jack Taylor and Mark Jones

This fall, Congress faces a major economic and environmental decision that will affect the lives of all Americans: what to do about climate change. While some Americans question whether global warming is threatening our future, many federal legislators agree it must be addressed. How to do that is the multibillion-dollar question.

Congress' answer: Create a cap-and-trade market. As leaders of not-for-profit public power utilities, we have a huge stake in this debate. Since our mandate is to provide reliable, reasonably priced electric service, while protecting the environment, the cost of climate change legislation is immensely important to us.