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Sportsmans Guide to Global Warming Legislation |
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 There has been a lot of talk lately of things not being as they used to be. Flounder runs are dwindling and starting later each year. The first cold fronts of the year are coming in late November or as late as Christmas. The deer rut no longer seems to start around Thanksgiving but closer to New Year’s Eve. The white wing dove squadrons are flying further north each year and the ducks seem to be getting to the lower Laguna Madre a little bit later. Wet wading until mid-November too—are you kidding me. Can global warming really be the culprit?
Does anthropogenic, human created, global warming actually affect our climate? Some say ‘yes;’ some say ‘show me the proof.’ Regardless of which side of the argument you agree with, one thing is for certain, the 2008 Presidential election will hinge on three things our flailing economy, immigration, and global warming. The consensus from Climatologists and independent researchers embraces a 2% reduction in carbon emissions as a healthy and sustainable level. An annual 2% reduction will lower current emissions by 30% by 2025 and roughly 60 to 80% by 2050. A reduction of this order may not reverse the effects of global warming such as rising oceans, rising ocean temperatures, and unhealthy CO2 counts in the air but they will definitely stem the catastrophic path we are currently experiencing. A strong global warming bill will embrace an annual carbon emissions reduction of 2%, create ‘green-collar’ jobs, encourage energy innovation, discourage the construction of facilities using outdated and unclean technologies, and provide funding to protect our wildlife and habitats. Senator McCain makes it abundantly clear the environment and carbon emission caps will be high on his first term agenda if elected. Senators Clinton and Obama have each expressed strong desires to see an inclusive global warming carbon cap and trade policy placed on carbon polluters as well. Moreover, the United States Climate Action Partnership, USCAP, which includes heavyweights such as GE, Alcoa, BP, DuPont, Duke Energy, and a litany of other carbon emitters agree, “Any delay in action to control emissions increases the risk of unavoidable consequences that could necessitate even steeper reductions in the future.” Scientists and responsible businesses realize the cost we are exacting on our environment and the changes that need to happen now. Moving forward, a few things are evident; global warming will be big business for political action groups, carbon emitters, ‘green’ innovators, and, believe it or not, for Texas Parks and Wildlife and you. So, looking forward to 2009 what can a sportsman expect from global warming legislation? Currently, the most impressive and strongest global warming legislation in the Senate is the Liebermann (D-Ct)-Warner (R-Va) America’s Climate Security Act. The America’s Climate Security Act made it through the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee and appears to have the ability to make it to the Senate floor for vote before January of 2009. The bill essentially creates a cap and trade program for carbon producers and creates a windfall of money for America’s beleaguered state natural resources departments. A Carbon cap and trade policy works like this. Congress will create a system of pollution permits that will allow for one ton of CO2 pollution per permit for carbon polluters. Each year, the government will release permits allowing for 2% reduction per year to carbon producers. Polluters will receive a predetermined amount of permits to coincide with their past carbon emissions and 24% of the permits will remain in government control to be purchased by polluters that exceed their current carbon cap. In addition, polluters that fall under their prescribed carbon levels may trade their excess permits on an open trade-market. The cap and trade will not only allow higher profits for those companies that innovatively curb their emissions but it also creates an entirely new commodities market for traders. The beauty of the Liebermann-Warner’s America’s Climate Security Act is the proposal to allow a majority of the income gained from the sell of government held permits to fund and benefit the Pittman-Robertson Act. The Pittman-Robertson Act is responsible for the funding of the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program. If you have visited any of Texas Parks and Wildlife’s hatcheries, you may be familiar with the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program stickers that adorn their plate glass windows and doors. With expected revenues of $500 Million to $1.8 Billion dollars in the first year of the cap and trade program, imagine what Dr. Larry McKinney and the biologists at Sea Center Texas, the Perry Bass Hatchery, and the Athens Freshwater Fisheries could do with the estimated $24.2 Million dollars the cap and trade program would deliver to Texas. The Fisheries Enhancement division could expand trout and redfish stocking programs and could begin stocking snook, flounder, tarpon, and possibly red snapper as well. Texas recently passed Florida with the highest income created by recreational hunting and fishing revenues. Expanding our stocking and hatcheries programs can only help our recreational businesses grow. Texas boasts a yearly income of 4.7 billion dollars a year from the outdoor recreational business sector and supports over 102,000 jobs dependent on the health and vitality of our wildlife and fisheries. With an influx of working capital of $24 million a year from Pittman-Robertson and the Wildlife Restoration Program, Texans can continue to maintain and grow our wildlife and outdoors heritage we so proudly enjoy. As polarizing as global warming has become, it behooves all Texas outdoorsmen to look into the issues affecting our wildlife and habitats and the possible benefits of supporting global warming legislation. To read more about the affects of global warming on our wildlife and habitats, or to contact your senators check out targetglobalwarming.org. |
