BILL REQ. #:  H-0058.1 

Read first time 01/13/11.   Referred to Committee on Environment.

     TO THE HONORABLE CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, There has been no credible economic analysis of the costs associated with carbon reduction mandates and the consequential effect of the increasing costs of doing business in the State of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, Forcing business, industry, and food producers to reduce carbon emissions through government mandates and cap and trade policies under consideration by the western climate initiative will increase the cost of doing business, push companies to do business with other states or nations, and increase consumer costs for electricity, fuel, and food; and
     WHEREAS, The congressional budget office warns that the cost of cap and trade policies will be borne by consumers and will place a disproportionately high burden on poorer families; and
     WHEREAS, Washington State has an estimated three-tenths of one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions; so simply reducing carbon emissions in the State will have no significant impact on international carbon reduction, especially while countries like China, Russia, Mexico, and India emit an ever-increasing amount of carbon into the atmosphere; and
     WHEREAS, Washington's per capita emissions have decreased seven percent from 1990 to 2007 and are two-thirds the amount of the rest of the country without western climate initiative policies; and
     WHEREAS, A tremendous amount of economic generation and stability would be sacrificed for a reduction in carbon emissions that would have no appreciable impact on global concentrations of carbon dioxide; and
     WHEREAS, No state or nation has enhanced economic opportunities for its citizens or increased gross domestic product through cap and trade or other carbon reduction policies; and
     WHEREAS, Europe's cap and trade system has been undermined by political favoritism, accounting tricks, and has failed to achieve even a fraction of its carbon reduction targets; and
     WHEREAS, There is potential for government abuse to use proceeds from such programs not for carbon reductions programs or to offset the higher costs on citizens from the policies but to supplement general fund deficits as done by some states currently participating in the regional greenhouse gas initiative;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the governor withdraw Washington State from the western climate initiative.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Christine O. Gregoire, Governor of the State of Washington.