Mark Earth Day with support for national carbon fee

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Hooray! The Douglas County Public Utility District is stepping up boldly with its new pilot project to produce clean hydrogen fuel. Its new facility will be a model for the future of green power while capitalizing on excess electrical power from the Wells Dam that otherwise would be sold at a loss.

While this hydrogen fuel project may be the wave of the future, we also must focus on what can be done to reduce global warming in the near term. One quick way to do that would be to put a national “carbon fee” on all fossil fuels being mined or pumped out of the ground. This would put the squeeze on fuel and power companies, creating a gradual reduction in the use of polluting fuels. Renewable energy, already less expensive in many places, will become more practical for individual consumers and companies.

To offset any increase in gas and oil prices people might feel, the fees would be returned as regular dividend checks to all U.S. residents equally. This would put money in people’s pockets, giving back to average and lower-income people more than any extra they might spend on fuel.

A carbon fee isn’t the only change needed to break our addiction to fossil fuels, but it is well researched and could reduce polluting emissions quickly. A bill to do just that, HR 2307, is in the House of Representatives now. Please support it on Earth Day, April 22.

Deborah Stewart

Seattle