N.J. activists protest against 'cap-and-trade' law aimed at fighting global warming

star ledger ^ | July 21, 2010 | jim lockwood

[Coleus]

A group of conservative activists rallied in Morris Township today for repeal of New Jersey’s "cap-and-trade" law that aims to curb greenhouse gases and global warming. The activists argue the law does nothing to combat global warming — if, they say, global warming even exists — and is merely a new tax that will kill businesses and jobs. Supporters of cap-and-trade, however, disagree. New Jersey’s cap-and-trade law, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Global Warming Response Act of 2007, is designed to promote "green" initiatives and jobs through a 3-percent tax on coal-generated electricity and a 1-percent tax on natural gas, passed on to ratepayers.

The state joined with other northeastern and mid-Atlantic states in a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative pool that calls for power plant emissions to be cut 10 percent by 2020 and for 30 percent of New Jersey’s electricity to be developed from renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy. The system strives to cap emissions and create a marketplace for companies to trade credits for emissions. Since the law took effect several years ago, New Jersey has generated a "Global Warming Solutions Fund" of between $46 million to $65 million a year. However, in the fiscal year that began July 1, the $65 million fund was diverted directly into the state budget as a revenue.

As a result, cap-and-trade "is nothing more than a tax hike," said Steve Lonegan, a former Republican candidate for governor who is director of the New Jersey chapter of Americans For Prosperity advocacy group that held today’s rally. "The cap-and-trade bill, which was designed allegedly for the purposes of green jobs, is now secretly being diverted into the general budget," Lonegan told a crowd of 40 supporters.

[Coleus]

"The cap-and-trade bill, which was designed allegedly for the purposes of green jobs, is now secretly being diverted into the general budget," Lonegan told a crowd of 40 supporters.

[StopObama2012]

Am I blind, or does the Star Ledger fail to mention what town the rally was held in?

Isn’t that a basic staple of reporting?

Morris township covers a lot of area.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Huck]

Morris Township is the town.