| Does Congressman Cao Support Higher Electricity Rates? |
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Louisiana electricity rates to sky rocket under plan pending before Congress Washington, DC – With only days remaining until the U.S. House of Representatives casts an historic up-or-down vote on one of the largest tax hikes in the history of Congress, Congressman Joe Cao (R-La.) has yet to state publicly where he stands on this measure – even as recent estimates suggest Louisiana families could be among the hardest hit. Under this proposal, the federal government would mandate increased use of expensive, unreliable forms of power, which currently represent a mere 2.8 percent of the nation’s overall electricity usage. In total, less efficient renewable electricity accounts for 3.1 percent of Louisiana’s power, which would have to increase by 388.6 percent by 2020 to reach this 15 percent mandate. “Though the Washington politics on cap-and-trade may be complicated, the local consequences of this policy could not be more straight-forward,” said Thomas J. Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance. “For it to work, and work properly, Americans’ energy bills must go up – hard, fast, and forever. That means Congressman Cao has a clear choice to make: side with hard-working Louisianans and small businesses, or support out-of-the-mainstream, Washington special-interests. “President Obama has said this legislation will ‘necessarily increase the cost of electricity.’ By all accounts, increasing electricity costs in Louisiana, while small towns and working-class families continue to suffer, will devastate family budgets and force businesses to shut their doors.” Currently, 34 states enforce so-called “renewable portfolio standards” – Washington-speak for government-enforced mandates that favor less-affordable, less-reliable electricity. On average, residential electricity rates are 38 percent higher and industrial rates are 50 percent higher in these states. “Louisianans deserve to know where Congressman Cao stands on this critical issue,” continued Pyle. “Unfortunately, instead of focusing on expanding American energy production, our lawmakers are intent on imposing the largest energy tax in history – yet another in a series of heavy-handed policies that dictate, rather than let the market determine, the types of energy we need for our homes and businesses.” The American Energy and Security Act of 2009, which includes both a cap-and-trade regime and renewable electricity mandate, does not produce a single unit of energy and further weakens our nation’s overall energy security. The U.S. House is scheduled to vote on the legislation the week of June 22. More on Renewable Electricity Mandates:
*Numbers are rounded to the nearest tenth percent. The American Energy Alliance (AEA) is a not-for-profit organization that engages in public policy advocacy and debate surrounding the function, operation, and government regulation of global energy markets. AEA, an affiliate of the Institute for Energy Research, works to educate and mobilize citizens around the idea that freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s global energy and environmental challenges.
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