Iowa: GOP lawmakers urge against global warming action
- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
By Charlotte Eby | Wednesday, January 23, 2008 |
DES MOINES — Five GOP state lawmakers disputing the idea that humans are the cause of global warming distributed books supporting their argument to colleagues in an effort to stop the Legislature from passing new measures intended to combat climate change.
The legislators are seeking to halt state regulations meant to fight global warming from being enacted and question other initiatives the Legislature approved last year.
They handed out copies of the book, “Unstoppable Global Warming — Every 1,500 Years,” along with a letter urging lawmakers not to approve new regulations.
“If enacted, these measures could be extremely detrimental to the economy of our state, and it would be especially ironic if the data used to justify them proves to be faulty,” the letter said.
Copies of the book, written by S. Fred Singer and Dennis T. Avery, were provided to Iowa lawmakers by The Heartland Institute in Chicago. The organization’s Web site says its mission is to “discover, develop and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems.” The organization also promotes school vouchers and other conservative issues.
Rep. Dwayne Alons, R-Hull, is one of the lawmakers who signed the letter and helped distribute the book, saying he wanted to try to provide a more balanced view on global
warming.
“I think it’s gotten to be a political issue, instead of really looking at the scientific facts behind it,” Alons said.
He points to other warming trends in the Earth’s history, and said man’s efforts to control it are futile.
“I think it’s always a good direction if we’re going to reduce pollution as such and emissions, and that type of thing. But in my view, the carbon dioxide is really not a pollutant. It’s a fertilizer for plants,” Alons said.
Rep. Jamie Van Fossen, R-Davenport, said he is skeptical that human activity is causing global warming. It is “ludicrous” that the state should take action on global warming on its own, he said.
“The Earth has been a lot hotter and it’s been a lot colder before, so I’m not sure that humans have anything to do with it,” Van Fossen said.
Rep. Ralph Watts, R-Adel, has read the book and wants other lawmakers to read it as well.
“I would hope they’d open their minds enough to at least look at the issue and not be so anxious to pass restrictive laws that can really cripple our economy in Iowa,” Watts said.
Others signing the letter included Rep. Chuck Soderberg, R-LeMars, and Sen. Jerry Behn, R-Boone.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, dismissed the concerns of the global warming doubters.
“They should move to Australia,” Gronstal said. “Ostriches put their head in the sand.”
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, questions the concerns being raised by the GOP lawmakers.
“There is not any scientist that we’re aware of in the United States of America, outside of some connection to big business or oil, that doesn’t believe in what’s happening with our climate change, with carbon emissions, with global warming,” McCarthy said.
Last year, lawmakers moved to collect data on companies in Iowa that produce emissions linked to global warming.
McCarthy rejected the idea that taking action on global warming would harm Iowa’s economy, and said efforts to develop Iowa’s renewable energy industry actually have created jobs.
Charlotte Eby can be contacted at
(515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
del.icio.us
Digg
NewsVine
Fark
reddit» More State Stories
Highest Rated Articles from the last 7 Days
- Technology News Articles
- Computers, MP3, Phones & More. See Product Pics, Specs & Reviews.
- www.NexTag.com
- Cheap Airfare
- Compare multiple travel sites. Discount web fares made easy.
- www.LowFares.com
- Promoter's Arsenal - Article Equalizer
- Content Generator For Your Website. Download fee, today only $97.00.
- promotearsenal.com/article
- Ads by Yahoo!
