RICHMOND – Ed Gillespie issued the following statement regarding the State Corporation Commission finding that proposed carbon regulations would cost Dominion Virginia Power customers alone up to $6 billion:
“The Obama-Warner policies squeeze hard-working Virginians between lost jobs, stagnant wages, or fewer working hours and rising prices for health care, energy, and food. Mark Warner voted to let the EPA regulate carbon, and now refuses to fight massive new EPA rules that will hammer hard-working Virginians with higher electric bills. The 1.2 million Virginia households making less than $50,000 a year already pay an average of 20% of their income in energy costs, and poor Virginians pay even more. Virginians have a clear choice between my policies to unleash American energy and reduce energy costs, versus Senator Warner’s support for a ‘price on carbon.’”
Background:
In a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy last week, the non-partisan Virginia State Corporation Commission estimated the massive cost of compliance for just one utility to be up to $6 billion: Virginia SCC Staff analyses of utility planning data indicate that, using conservative assumptions, the incremental cost of compliance for one utility alone (Dominion Virginia Power) would likely be between $5.5 billion and $6.0 billion on a net present value basis. Compliance costs will increase the cost of providing electric service, which must be paid for by residents and businesses in Virginia.
On June 2 this year, when the White House released new restrictions on coal plants, Mark Warner stated that, “I’m going to be looking to look at the rules, and then specifically look at the comments,” after he expressed gratitude for an extension of the comment period until after his election.
That same day, Ed Gillespie said, “They’re trying to do by executive fiat what they weren’t able to get done by legislation. And the reason they weren’t able to get it done by legislation is because legislators understood the impact it was going to have on consumers.
“Energy prices will go up as a result of this policy, prices at the pump, in-home heating oil, and electric bills. It’s going to have a very negative impact on economic growth and disposable income.”
Mark Warner listed “cap and trade” as his long-term energy solution on his 2008 campaign website.
As a Senator, Mark Warner made the case for putting a price on carbon, saying, “The most significant thing we can do is send the market signal that either directly through a carbon tax or indirectly through Cap and Trade, we are going to put a price on carbon.”
Senator Warner has acted on his support for a carbon tax, voting against requiring a supermajority in the Senate to pass a carbon tax last year. Eight of his fellow Senate Democrats broke ranks to require the supermajority, but Warner toed the party line. “Blunt, R-Mo., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Murray, D-Wash., point of order against the Blunt amendment no. 261 for not being germane. The Blunt amendment would create a 60-vote point of order against any budget resolution that includes a tax or fee on carbon emissions.” (S. Con. Res. 8, CQ Vote #59: Motion rejected by a vote of 53-46: R 45-0; D 8-44; I 0-2, 3/22/13, Warner Voted Nay)
In 2010 on Meet the Press, Ed Gillespie spoke forcefully against anti-jobs policies supported by Senator Mark Warner, including cap and trade and the carbon tax, saying: In terms of the economy, if you’re an employer, how are you going to hire right now when you don’t know what the impact of this health care mandate is going to be and the cost on your premiums? How are you going to hire, if you’re not sure that there’s going to be an increased cost of energy because of a carbon tax or a cap and trade bill? How are you going to hire when you don’t know if you’re going to be able to have your carried interest financing if you’re a small business owner? How are you going to invest if you’re an investor when you think your capital gains taxes are going to go up and your dividends are going to go up and if you’re a small business owner, you’re going to get hit with a tax increase too? No wonder the economy is stagnant.
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