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Saturday, August 28, 2010
Commission Defers on Taking Cap/Trade Stand
By Dan McKay
Journal Staff Writer
Bernalillo County commissioners narrowly opted this week to stay out of the debate over cap-and-trade legislation, at least for the next two months.
But staying out of the debate has triggered a whole new argument: When should the county take a stand on decisions up to other governments?
The dispute bubbled over Tuesday, when Commissioner Michael Brasher proposed a resolution stating opposition to New Mexico's petition for a regional cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The petition is going before the state Environmental Improvement Board, which begins hearings Sept. 20.
Commissioners, on a 3-2 vote, postponed a decision until late October. Brasher fears that could be too late for the county to be heard.
"It's an important decision for the business community," he said. "I'm concerned they would be at a competitive disadvantage" if the cap is passed.
Brasher said the tight economy makes it an especially bad time to burden businesses with new regulations.
Supporters and opponents of a cap-and-trade program turned out for Tuesday's commission meeting.
Commission Chairman Art De La Cruz said the county could end up debating "everything under the sun" if commissioners insist on tackling the work of other governments.
He said he's been busy responding to the needs of his constituents, not studying whether another government should enact complicated air-quality legislation. Brasher, he added, is free to write his own letter of opposition without demanding the entire commission weigh in.
"I'm not an expert on cap and trade, and I'm not going to pretend that I am," De La Cruz said. "The bottom line for me is I don't think it's appropriate for one commissioner to force the other commissioners to take a stand on something that's not germane to their core mission."
Supporters say a statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions would reduce pollution and help address global climate change. Representatives of the state's oil and gas industry and other opponents say the cap would raise consumer prices and wreck New Mexico's economy.
Local activist Roger Mickelson said the county should've taken action of some kind.
The "County Commission has buried its collective head in the sand, avoiding taking a stand," he wrote in a letter to the Journal.
Most commissioners didn't see it that way. The county's Democratic majority voted for deferral, while Republicans wanted immediate action.
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