by Bob Gough, editor, QuincyNews.org
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Quincy business leaders held a rally at County Market today to ask business
owners to talk to their employees and other fellow business owners about
their concerns about “Cap and Trade” legislation.
Mike Nobis, head of the NFIB’s Quincy Area Action Council organized the
rally on why the legislation (H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and
Security Act of 2009) will increase energy costs for small business. The
House of Representatives passed the legislation, but the Senate has yet to
vote on the bill.
The key “cap and trade” provision sets limits on the greenhouse gas
emissions that many scientists blame for global warming. The goal is to
reduce emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and more than 80
percent below 2005 levels by 2050.
The bill would create a system for buying and selling emission permits that
give the holder the authority to send greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Major sources of those gases, such as power plants and factories, would need
to obtain enough permits to cover emissions.
Nobis said he wants to send a message to Senators Dick Durbin and Roland
Burris to vote against “Cap and Trade” when it reaches the Senate.
Nobis’ group along with the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, Great River
Economic Development Foundation and the Industrial Association of Quincy
sponsored the event. The groups have also undertaken an advertising campaign
to explain what they believe the legislation means.
Nobis said it means increased energy costs for an average family of $3,000.
Rich Niemann, Sr. of Niemann Foods said the legislation puts businesses on
the “short end of the stick” and means “more big government” and “more
taxes” with a 40 percent increase on energy bills. Niemann said NFI pays a
total of $8 million a year in utility bills across all of their stores in
the Midwest.
Harold Knapheide of Knapheide Manufacturing said he believed many in
Congress didn’t read the “Cap and Trade” legislation because it will “send
jobs to China and India” if those countries do not follow “Cap and Trade”
provisions.
