The Durango Citizen’s Climate Lobby chapter is seeking endorsements from community and business leaders, and co-sponsors in Congress, for its carbon fee and dividend legislation.
Please sign CCL’s letter, and help persuade lawmakers to act now to avert the disastrous effects of climate change. Our focus is to get federal legislation passed to enact a carbon fee and dividend system (see citizensclimatelobby.org and email us at info@durangoccl.org), a concept endorsed by Republican luminaries.
This system would collect a gradually increasing fee on primary carbon sources at point of origin, e.g., coal at the mine and oil and gas at the well, instead of attempting to monitor the various uses of carbon, like other plans. Of the various options for putting a price on carbon, this plan is the simplest and requires the least administration and regulation.
Here’s the brilliant part: All net fees collected would be returned to American households in equal monthly dividend checks. The dividends placed in the hands of citizens, instead of bureaucrats, keep this plan revenue neutral.
Since 70 percent of the American gross domestic product is created by consumer spending, this would stimulate the economy – specifically new, clean-tech, exportable products, in turn accelerating the already rapid pace of job growth in that sector (25 percent per year for solar alone). Over 80 percent of economists call the carbon fee and dividend system the best first step to effectively lowering carbon emissions.
Monthly dividend checks could be distributed using existing administrations (such as the Social Security Administration), so this is the easiest carbon reduction plan.
Picture getting an equal check in the mail every month, even if you ride a bike to work, and keeping your energy costs low! After paying for energy needs, fully two-thirds of households would make money or break even from this plan.
That makes this plan kind and fair – it rewards careful use of carbon, takes care of lower- and middle-income folks and most importantly protects our children’s planet.
Kirby MacLaurin
Durango
