I think it's important the Task Force receive comments from as many people as possible in support of recommending the Governor taking a non business-as-usual approach to addressing the climate change threat in Wisconsin.
Following are the comments I submitted on the Co-Chairs' strawman proposal. Mike Neuman --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael T Neuman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:35:59 -0500 Subject: Global Warming Task Force Comprehensive Strawman Proposal I read the Governor's Global Warming Task Force's report entitled "Comprehensive Strawman Proposal" (June 10, 2008), as published on the DNR's website this month. I have commented during various stages of the Task Force's work on this report, including testifying at public informational hearings, and my remarks are intended to be consistent with my earlier submissions. The transportation sector in Wisconsin and the nation contributes more greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere, when measured in terms of end uses, than any other sector. Therefore, I concur with the comprehensive strawman that it is essential that the state implement a comprehensive set of policies to lower emissions by increasing the efficiency of vehicles in the state, to substitute low carbon fuels, and to enable individuals and business to drive less miles. It is the third of the above transportation measures -- enabling individuals and business to drive less miles -- that is the most urgent. The Governor needs to recommend programs that will provide financial incentives for Wisconsin's citizens to drive many fewer miles per year then they do now. The high gasoline prices of today will help with those reduction but they will not be nearly enough to reduce driving to more sustainable levels in the state. The state needs to provide additional positive financial incentives for individuals and families in the state to minimize their driving levels over the year, ideally to reduce vehicle miles traveled in the state by 25% by 2010. The billion dollar transportation fund would be the obvious source of revenues for such a program. A program that reduces the number of miles the public drives in our state would reduce the need to expand the capacity of highways, so that less money would be needed to build new highways. The current practice of expanding highways throughout the state is both economically and environmentally unsustainable and needs to stop. Similarly, the state needs to provide financial incentives for its citizens to use less energy in their homes, above and beyond the cost savings from using less electricity and fuel, on a per capita in the household basis. Additional details on how to implement this measure -- as well as the drive less incentives -- can be found at the following link: http://www.danenet.org/bcp2006/neuman_gw.pdf Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the June 10, 2008 Comprehensive Strawman Proposal. Mike Neuman Madison ____________________________________________________________ Click here for to find products that will help grow your small business. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3m7tDh9XC3B9eiwp6tSUTX1uSu3clyb4cvIR6caJ3tXQrPMf/ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
