At Climate Hearing, Senator Says We Cannot Shut Off Traditional Resources

WASHINGTON – At a hearing today on climate change legislation, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said our nation must produce clean, affordable energy and seek technologies that will make our traditional resources viable into the future.

“We can’t simply shut off our traditional energy sources. We can’t shut them off in anticipation of energy sources of the future. We simply can’t walk away from coal,” Barrasso said.

“We need to balance consumer needs for cleaner, more affordable energy with the continued development of our nation’s most reliable and available energy sources.”

“ Wyoming produces a third of our nation’s coal and half of our nation’s electricity is generated from coal. With incentives for carbon capture and sequestration we can continue to make our state’s largest fossil fuel resource a continuing part of our nation’s electricity supply.”

“Local governments, whose economic vitality depends on energy production, have a lot to lose under the proposed bill. Communities with energy-based economies deserve a seat at the table in any climate change debate,” Barrasso said.

“I cannot imagine a more important constituency to any discussion of climate change than those communities who depend on energy extraction.”

The Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) held a hearing today on S. 2191, America’s Climate Security Act of 2007.

Senator Barrasso is a member of the EPW Committee, which has jurisdiction over climate change legislation.