ALG - Environmental interests seek to block energy exports, free trade

Americans for Limited Government and Free Market America urge Portland and Eugene Oregon to oppose measures aimed at curtailing energy exports.

July 16, 2012, Fairfax, VA—While well-healed environmental interests attempt to shut down oil, coal and natural gas production--which account for roughly 82 percent of domestic energy use--they are simultaneously working to prevent it from being shipped overseas as well.  Environmental interests, such as the Sierra Club, are actively campaigning to shut down all natural gas export terminals in the United States while City Councils in the Oregon cities of Eugene and Portland are preparing to vote on measures aimed at restricting coal exports as well.

"This is a disappointing demonstration of just how calloused fringe environmental interests truly are," said Ryan Houck, executive director of Free Market America. "At a time when millions of Americans are searching for work, it's senseless to attempt to shut down industries that create jobs and remain indispensable to our economy."

Americans for Limited Government president Bill Wilson added, "It's abundantly clear: If your job involves producing or moving energy and you don't receive a Solyndra-style subsidy, radical environmentalists probably want to put you out of work. It would be a terrible shame if elected
officials on the West Coast bow to these environmental groups and flagrantly disregard the interests of American workers and the essential principle of economic freedom."

Americans for Limited Government and Free Market America partner on free market issues that focus on environmental issues. The partnership was launched earlier this year and is responsible for the viral video "If I wanted America to fail," http://www.freemarketamerica.org, a runaway hit that scored more than 2.4 million views on YouTube.

To view online: http://getliberty.org/environmental-interests-seek-to-block-energy-exports-free-trade/

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Americans for Limited Government is a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties. For more information on ALG please call us at 703-383-0880 or visit our website at www.GetLiberty.org.

CEI Today: EPA Utility MACT, trade barriers, and the Mad Men pitch CEI

EPA UTILITY MACT - MARLO LEWIS

Forbes.com: Big Costs, Illusory Benefits: Why Congress Should Nix The Utility MACT

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote soon on legislation (S.J.Res.37) sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) to overturn one of the most costly regulations ever adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Known as the Utility MACT Rule, the regulation establishes first-ever maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards for hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from power plants.

EPA contends that pregnant women in subsistence fishing households consume enough mercury in self-caught fish to impair their children’s cognitive and neurological development. Although that is theoretically possible, in the 22 years since Congress tasked the EPA to study the health risks of mercury, the agency has not identified a single child whose learning or other disabilities can be traced to prenatal mercury exposure.

The EPA’s December 2000 “appropriate and necessary” determination, the trigger for the Utility MACT Rule, depicted power plant mercury emissions as a significant growing public health threat. That was sheer exaggeration.  > Read the full commentary on Forbes.com

>Interview Marlo Lewis

> See related: The Case against EPA’s Utility MACT (in pictures)

EPA's phony job numbers

Sen. Inhofe Seeks to Rein in EPA’s All Pain and No Gain Utility MACT

TRADE BARRIERS - ALEXANDER MOENS & FRED L. SMITH CEI.org: Labeling Law for Beef, Pork Impedes Canada-U.S. Trade Over the past few years, every state and the District of Columbia receive more in federal highway funding than the various federal excise taxes on highway activities within the state generated, according to the Government Accountability Office. During FY 2005–2009, the funding return on highway taxes ranged from $1.03 for every dollar collected in Texas to $5.85 in Washington, D.C. Massachusetts, on the low end of the scale, received $1.17 for every dollar collected. While the vast majority of Massachusetts highway funding comes from non-federal sources, if all highway funding responsibility were to be devolved to the states—as a growing number of fiscal conservatives in Congress advocate—additional revenue must be found. This issue brief examines the current funding realities and offers several potential mechanisms that could be used in Massachusetts to close the funding gap under a devolution scenario.  > View the CEI OnPoint > Interview the authors

VIDEO: MAD MEN PITCH APOLOGY AD TO CEI

Also featuring... Remembering Elinor Ostrom The Private Sector Is Not “Doing Fine,” Contrary to Claims by President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid MPRnews: Should we label genetically modified food? CEI’s Battered Business Bureau: The Week in Regulation Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act - Podcast The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) is currently under consideration in Congress. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Are there legitimate privacy concerns? Will CISPA suffer the same fate as the Stop Online Piracy Act, or is it fundamentally different? These and other questions are discussed by our experts on this previously recorded conference call.

2012 BIO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION Boston Wednesday, June 20 Co-Existence in the Real World: How Biotech and Organic Can Get Along Moderated by CEI Senior Fellow Gregory Conko Can we find a path forward that will protect against unwanted cross pollination without closing off large swaths of cropland to biotech varieties? From the stance that zero-tolerance is impossible, we will evaluate practices that farmers and seed producers already use to ensure genetic identity preservation. Then, examine the impact of European co-existence plans and of policy proposals in North America. >Read more > Interview Gregory Conko

CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan public policy group dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government.  For more information about CEI, please visit our website, cei.org, and blogs, Globalwarming.org and OpenMarket.org.  Follow CEI on Twitter! Twitter.com/ceidotorg.

US Rep. Frank Guinta statement on passage of job-creating Free Trade Agreements

GUINTA VOTES FOR JOB BILLS: SUPPORTS FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH COLUMBIA, PANAMA, AND SOUTH KOREA

(Washington – October 12, 2011)     Rep. Frank Guinta (R, NH-01) proudly stood alongside New Hampshire job creators on Wednesday by voting for three Free Trade Agreements: H.R. 3078, the United States-Columbia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, H.R. 3079 the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, and H.R. 3080, the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.  These job bills were approved in a bipartisan vote of (262-167), (300-129) and (278-151) respectively.  All three now go to the U.S. Senate for consideration.  Rep. Guinta released the following statement:

“This evening, I joined with members of both parties in supporting all three Free Trade Agreements.  These bills will create over 250,000 American jobs, and will do it without costing taxpayers a single dime.  By leveling the field for U.S. exports and heightening the demand for American-made products, these agreements open markets for U.S. manufacturing, agriculture, and service industries and will immediately create New Hampshire jobs.  I encourage the Senate to join with the House and consider all three Free Trade Agreements.”

Background:  H.R. 3078, United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act: In addition to being vital for national security, the Colombia agreement represents a key market for the U.S. with an estimated $1.1 billion growth potential where 80% of U.S. exports of industrial / consumer goods would be duty-free immediately.  Additionally, the agreement makes over 77% of agricultural tariff lines duty-free immediately.  The traditional one-way preferences have given Colombia free access to U.S. market, while U.S. exporters have paid nearly $3.4 billion in duties.

H.R. 3079, United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act: Would give U.S. exporters immediate duty-free treatment on 88% of Panama’s tariff lines for manufactured goods and on over half of agriculture lines.  Panama currently enjoys duty-free access into U.S. markets for over 90% of its products, while U.S. exporters pay duties averaging 7.8% for consumer / industrial products and 20% for agriculture.  Also expands access for U.S. services and increases U.S. access to Canal expansion. 

H.R. 3080, United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act: Would give U.S. exporters immediate duty-free treatment on 80% of South Korea’s tariff lines and open up South Korea’s $560 billion services market to U.S. service-providers in key sectors (financial, insurance, telecom, audiovisual, express delivery, and professional services).  South Korea would also open its historically difficult regulatory process, including in autos, and treat U.S. companies equally in the application of product standards.  Today, the average South Korean tariff for U.S. exporters is more than four times what they face in U.S. market and estimates show U.S. exports would grow by $10-12 billion under the agreement.  Additionally, the agreement includes a special textile safeguard, allowing the U.S. to impose tariffs if imports surge and result in injury to the domestic industry.

US Rep Bass: Free Trade Agreements Mean Jobs, Economic Growth for New Hampshire and Nation

WASHINGTON – Stating that one in four jobs in New Hampshire directly benefits from trade, Congressman Charles F. Bass (NH-02) praised bipartisan passage of the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea in the House of Representatives this evening.

Bass said:

“After years of inaction on the part of the Administration to send these vital job-creating measures to Congress, we finally had a chance to pass these important bipartisan free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea.

“Free trade means economic growth and opportunity for our nation.  It also gives American companies exporting goods overseas a level playing field.  For example, South Korean tariffs on U.S. goods are more than four times the U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods.  Eliminating that crushing 17 percent South Korean tariff for good will give U.S. businesses a fair chance at expanding their markets.

“More importantly, these bipartisan trade agreements will help to create jobs in New Hampshire and the rest of the nation without spending taxpayer dollars.”  

Trade is extremely important to New Hampshire’s economy:

•         The U.S. International Trade Administration states that New Hampshire’s shipments of merchandise totaled $4.4 billion last year, with nearly 2,000 of those exporting firms being small- and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.

•          According to the New Hampshire International Trade Resource Center, exports from New Hampshire increased over 44 percent during the first quarter of 2010 compared to 2009, representing the fourth highest growth rate of all U.S. states.

http://bass.house.gov

CEI Daily - Free Trade, Alcohol Regulation Roundup, and the CEI Podcast

Free Trade

 

Congress will soon vote on several free trade pacts that unions have long held up.

 

Adjunct Scholar Fran Smith comments.

 

"Although there appears to be bipartisan support, the AFL-CIO is still opposed to all of the pending FTAs and brought hundreds of union members to Capitol Hill to tell their congressional cohorts to vote against all three pacts. Their particular focus is on the U.S.-Colombia FTA, even though they demanded — and got — an Action Plan for Colombia to take specific and onerous steps to ostensibly protect union workers in that country."

 

Alcohol Regulation Roundup

Read the latest "Alcohol Regulation Roundup" from Policy Analyst Michelle Minton here.

CEI Podcast

 

In the new CEI Podcast, Vice President for Policy Wayne Crews talks about his recent innue analysis on quantifying federal regulations.

 

Listen here.