Legislature wants out of Climate Initiative

Representative Mike Noel, a Republican from Kanab, has drafted a measure designed to pull Utah out of the Western Climate Initiative. This non-binding resolution was passed 51-19 in an attempt to show Governor Huntsman, that Utahns don't feel they have a place in this Initiative.

The Western Climate Initiative is a group of seven states and four Canadian provinces.

This was "created to identify, evaluate, and implement collective and cooperative ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the region, focusing on a market-based cap-and-trade system," (www.westernclimateinitiative.org)

"We agree to collaborate in identifying, evaluating and implementing ways to reduce green house gas's emissions in our states collectively and to achieve related co-benefits." (Taken from the Climate Action initiative Agreement) "Whereas western states re experiencing the effects of a hotter, drier climate including prolonged droughts, excessive heat waves, reduced snowpack's, wide spread forest diseases…and other serious impacts…The WGA has declared that climate change could have severe economic and environmental impacts on the western states in coming decades."

While Utahans may not agree on their states involvement in this specific initiative, the state's website, attempts to explain the Governors views.

"Utah has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2005 levels by 2020. This is a goal and not a policy or mandate. There will be ongoing economic analysis and stakeholder consultations to continue to inform this work. It is ambitious, but achievable while ensuring a continuing sound economy." (www.utah.gov)

The government had made it clear this is simply a goal, open for discussion and reevaluation. However some representatives are still concerned these clean air restrictions will hurt Utah's already fragile economy.

"Utah's power is 96 percent coal fired, when we cap carbon we'll be injured. Renewable energy, however beneficial will cost more money. Rep Mike Noel.

While some representatives choose not to believe in human caused climate change, or fear government restrictions, most of northern Utah's winter air is considered unhealthy.

As recent as February 23, the Bear River Health Department issued a "red" air quality warning for Cache County. On January 21st health advisories were put in place in Cache, Salt Lake, Davis, Utah and Weber counties. These advisories are designed to warn residents to avoid heavy exertion outside during bad air days. KSL.com

Due to the frequent winter inversion, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has also advised people with respiratory or heart diseases, the elderly and children to reduce exertion levels outside during winter inversions and days where air quality is deemed unsafe.

In December 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency released its air quality reports. Their findings show that seven counties in northern Utah were not in compliance with national air quality standards.

In Utah the economic impact of the Western Climate Initiative and the impact of climate change is still open for debate. However the unsafe levels of our air quality is not.