The Relief Report ®


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Washington, D.C. 20002
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Issue #92 * March 28, 2001 * David A. Ridenour, Editor


Environmental Regulations Contribute to Airline Delays

No Justification for Yet Another Postal Rate Increase

Bush's Decision to Not Regulate Carbon Dioxide is a Victory for Consumers


Environmental Regulations Contribute to Airline Delays






No Justification for Yet Another Postal Rate Increase






Bush's Decision to Not Regulate Carbon Dioxide is a Victory for Consumers

President George W. Bush's decision to not support carbon dioxide regulation, the greenhouse gas alleged to cause dangerous global warming, should be applauded as a victory for America consumers and a victory for sound science.

During the presidential race, then-Governor Bush stated that he would seek to "establish mandatory reduction targets for emissions of four main pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, mecury and carbon dioxide." In addition, there are several bills before Congress that authorize caps on carbon dioxide emissions.

However, the most reliable scientific evidence lends no credence to environmentalist warnings that rising carbon dioxide emissions from cars, power plants and other sources is causing discernible global warming. NASA weather satellites, the most accurate barometers of global temperature, show that the Earth slightly cooled since 1979. Furthermore, one of the leading scientists promoting the global warming theory, Dr. James Hansen, says he now sees no evidence that carbon dioxide is responsible for any global warming. Absent proof that it causes dangerous warming, carbon dioxide is simply a benign, non-polluting substance that plants need to grow.

In addition to the considerable scientific uncertainty concerning man-made warming, carbon dioxide regulation runs completely counter to the President's promise to the American people to promote access to affordable energy. A study by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that carbon dioxide regulation would add about $90 billion to the nation's electrical generating costs -- with the consumer ultimately picking up the tab. If President Bush had decided to regulate CO2, electricity prices would have increased as much as 43% in 2010, with the average household having to divert an extra $200 from health care, housing and other vital necessities to pay the electric bill each year.

Keeping his promise to lower Americans' energy bills, President Bush rightly decided to not support costly proposals to regulate carbon dioxide. In a letter to concerned U.S. Senators, the President said that "including caps on carbon dioxide emissions... would lead to... significantly higher energy prices [and] we must be very careful not to take actions that could harm consumers."

"President Bush understands the vital importance of energy to America's economy and its importance to the everyday lives of the American people," says John Carlisle, director of the National Center's Environmental Policy Task Force. "Americans voted for George W. Bush, in part, because they strongly supported his arguments that the government must do more to promote domestic energy development to lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil and contain energy prices. Regulating carbon dioxide threatened to negate the President's laudable energy program and break an important promise to the American people."


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