FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Contact: Paul Chesser, [email protected]
202-670-2680

The American Tradition Institute today praised yesterday’s overwhelming vote (13-5) by New Hampshire’s House Committee on Science, Technology, and Energy, to withdraw the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

"How appropriate it is that the state with the motto ‘Live Free or Die’ would take the lead in giving citizens back their energy freedom," said Paul Chesser, executive director of ATI. "Schemes like RGGI and renewable portfolio standards force citizens to buy electricity from expensive, antiquated technology like wind and solar. At least we know now a few legislators have some common sense."

New Hampshire Watchdog, an online news source, reported that the full House is likely to take the bill up next week. Both chambers of the state legislature, called the General Court in New Hampshire, have veto-proof Republican majorities. Gov. John Lynch is a Democrat and opposes withdrawal from RGGI. NH Watchdog reported that in a hearing, "Committee Republicans argued that the climate science cited to pass RGGI has been undermined, and that the program is a hidden tax on New Hampshire ratepayers."

"Indeed, there has not been any analysis of RGGI to determine whether the benefits of participation outweigh the costs, or even to identify what kind of affect it will have on global climate," Chesser said. "Isn’t that why they wanted to do this in the first place?"

"If lawmakers want to tax electricity in this manner, then it ought to be transparent and clearly identifiable in their bills," Chesser added. "But let’s hope that the General Court just does away with it."

For an interview with American Tradition Institute executive director Paul Chesser, call (202)670-2680 or email [email protected].