The cap-and-trade debate

With the Senate now contemplating its own climate change bill, the carbon cap-and-trade debate rages on. This past summer, a panel of Montana utility representatives and business leaders said a cap on carbon would translate into a cap on the economy. Several predicted that consumers would see double-digit increases in utility rates, compounded by a major negative impact on Montana’s coal industry.

But Diego Rivas, of the group Montanans for a Healthy Climate, sees the other side. A cap on carbon would not only avoid the costs of inaction, he said, but would drive development in those industries that will reduce dependence on fossil fuels. He points out that Montana ranks 21st in the nation for wind power production, even though it’s ranked in the top five for capacity.

“There is a real potential for growth to be had,” he said.

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