Kaine vows action on climate report
RELATED:
• Final draft report of the Commission on Climate Change
The state Commission on Climate Change unanimously adopted its final report yesterday, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine indicated he would act on it.
"In my administration, we don't get reports and put them on shelves," Kaine told the panel during a meeting in the General Assembly Building.
The report makes more than 100 recommendations, including calls to conserve energy better, rely more on nuclear power and increase protections for forests and wetlands.
The report is expected to go to Kaine next week after staff members do some minor editing.
The governor could enact some recommendations on his own through executive orders. He is expected to take others to the General Assembly for action.
Outside the meeting room, Kaine declined to specify which recommendations he will move on, saying he wants to read the report first. But, in one example, he said he supported efforts to increase energy efficiency.
Representing business and farm groups, Virginia Coal Association President W. Thomas Hudson told the panel the public needed more time to digest the report. He asked for a 60-day comment period.
"Climate-change strategies may have enormous economic repercussions . . . and therefore must be thoroughly assessed," Hudson said.
Virginia Chamber of Commerce representative Tyler Craddock objected to a recommendation to require that new commercial buildings be built to energy-saving standards.
"It is never a good time to increase the cost of constructing commercial floor space," Craddock said. "But right now is one of the absolute worst times."
Commission members said there would be plenty of time in the General Assembly and other venues to debate the recommendations. The panel did not grant the 60-day comment period.
The Virginia Conservation Network, which includes several environmental groups, issued a statement supporting the report and challenging Kaine and the legislature to act on the recommendations.
The panel, which Kaine appointed a year ago, included scientists, business people, lawmakers and environmentalists.
The panel found, among other things, that global warming could spread disease in Virginia, threaten coastal areas and imperil native animals such as crabs.
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Reader Reactions
Economic development is one of the main factors that will get Virginia out of the $3 billion hole it’s in. So what does dingaling say he’s gonna do? Increase the cost of commercial construction that will house that economic development by 10 percent. How stupid is this guy? Obama, PLEASE, nominate him for Secretary of Education and GET HIM THE BLEEP OUT OF VIRGINIA!!!!!!
Does the climate end at our borders? What is the point of one state or another unilaterally instituting ‘climate saving’ measures? Answer: Politics. The economy is in the tank and the state budget is busted, but it’s ok to implement measures that will cost jobs and tax revenue in order to fix a scientifically debatable problem. That’s ok - we’ll just raise taxes.
Once again we are being duped into believing that there is a need to change our lifestyles based on what? No evidence whatsoever that this global phenomenon dubbed “Global Warming” is a result of man’s inervention on his environment. We can physically see when we dump a pollutant into a river or stream, and act accordingly. We can see when acts of vandalism to our woodlines and highways occurs due to inconsideration on the part of those who litter and dump trash onto property. But, this notion that even a one degree change in the annual temperature of earth’s weather pattern is a direct result of my driving a car, or burning oil to heat my home is insane. Why are we allowing a “fiscally responsible” Governor the act of appointing and financing this commission, when we still need to balance the State budget, finish improving our transit and highway systems, and continue to upgrade and support our National Guard Commands? The crime here is not my automobile, or ability to heat my home and care for my family… the crime is the hogwash that is crammed down my throat by wacko environmentalists!
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