facebook-pixel

Letter: Carbon Dividend Act has features both conservatives and liberals can support

President Joe Biden speaks about the coronavirus in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Washington. Experts say Biden's pledge to undo his predecessor's anti-regulatory policies on the environment won't be accomplished easily, despite a fast start. After taking office last week, Biden returned the U.S. to the Paris climate accords, revoked the Keystone oil pipeline’s federal permit and halted oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Biden has rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, so we will soon see increased infrastructure spending and jobs as our country follows low carbon transition pathways. These policies will avoid the most catastrophic climate change scenarios that are affecting Utah where the Colorado River basin is in extreme to exceptional drought, threatening our snowpack and water supply.

The sensible fee and dividend legislation, known as The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act has features that conservatives and liberals can both support:

• It relies on markets rather than government regulations to reach its objectives

• Being revenue-neutral, it will not increase the size of government

• All but the wealthiest Utahns will benefit from the dividend, growing the economy and creating jobs

• Other countries will have an incentive to follow the US and implement carbon pricing policies.

Keeping our global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius will go far to reduce the damaging effects that climate change has already triggered on our planet.

Jean M. Lown, Logan

Submit a letter to the editor