{"id":59,"date":"2009-09-10T08:58:29","date_gmt":"2009-09-10T08:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/texasenergyexchange\/?p=59"},"modified":"2011-03-30T14:29:33","modified_gmt":"2011-03-30T14:29:33","slug":"an-open-letter-to-texas-leaders-on-acesa-joint-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2009\/09\/10\/an-open-letter-to-texas-leaders-on-acesa-joint-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"An Open Letter to Texas Leaders on ACESA Joint Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CleanYesterday I sent out this open letter about a\u00a0joint meeting on the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA) being proposed by the Public Utility Commission, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Railroad Commission’s Chairmen.<\/p>\n

Let me know what you think.\u00a0See the formal version here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dear Chairman Smitherman, Chairman Shaw, and Chairman Carillo,<\/p>\n

I am glad to hear about your proposed joint meeting on the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA) and that you are interested in hearing from all parties. I would like to add my voice to those legislators around the state such as Senators Rodney Ellis and Kirk Watson, and Representatives Rafael Anchia and Mark Strama who are asking that this joint meeting be a fair review of the facts regarding the bill and the economic impacts of climate change on Texas.\u00a0 I would also like to see this joint meeting rise above the recent politically motivated press releases and op-eds by some Texas politicians, which relied on so-called “studies” that admittedly and intentionally did not analyze the job and economic benefits of the ACESA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Any discussion among state agencies needs to consider the weight of evidence from a number of peer-reviewed studies showing the impacts of ACESA to be minimal and often positive.\u00a0 Further, these studies need to be evaluated in the context of the threat of inaction to our economy as determined by Texas scientists at Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and SMU among others.<\/p>\n

Below I list a number of studies and experts that you should consult to better inform your work.\u00a0 These studies do what any fair and meaningful study would do: look at both the costs and the benefits of ACESA.\u00a0 In particular, they illuminate the significant benefits that will accrue to Texas as a result of ACESA, which some state agency studies have pointedly avoided discussing or analyzing.\u00a0 In addition, some of these studies examine the tremendous damage to Texas that will occur if we do not act forcefully to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases swiftly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The following studies, those studies\u2019 authors, and a number of experts – many from Texas – should be consulted if the joint meeting is to have a legitimate level of scientific rigor.<\/p>\n

Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n