Nowhere on his House website does Nunnelee mention climate change, despite the fact that his district is currently facing unbelievably high temperatures. It was 117° in North Mississippi this week. My car read 121° the other day in a parking lot. He touts his participation in the American Energy Initiative, a Republican effort to "address rising gasoline prices and expand American energy production." However, despite the Initiative's support of the development and implementation of sustainable energy production techniques (e.g. wind, geothermal, etc.), there is little mention of climate change, and searching "climate change" yields a list of inflammatory, anti-Democrat articles, as though Congressional liberals have somehow conjured up higher temperatures, melting glaciers, desertification and increased frequencies of natural disasters. Both the Initiative and Congressman Nunnelee's websites mention alternative energy, but focus almost primarily on US energy security.
Certainly, expanding domestic energy production is necessary and is in the interest of our national security. But, a huge part of that must be research and development of NEW and SUSTAINABLE energy options. A solid first step is admitting that climate change is real, and to stop citing bogus science that suggests otherwise and planting doubt in the public's mind. It must be a central issue for every politician, regardless of political affiliation, especially those who sit on relevant committees and subcommittees. For example, Nunnelee is part of a Republican movement called the House Energy Action Team (HEAT), but despite their name, there is no mention of global warming. Ironic? Yes. Surprising? Not at all.
Republicans have vilified environmentalists, legitimate climate change scientists, politicians who support environmental legislation, and economists who tackle pollution and abatement issues. The health of our communities has been politicized, and it's a shame.
But Mr. Nunnelee has an opportunity to do something great. As hydraulic fracturing (also known as "fracking", which I've discussed here before) continues to spread across the country, it has met very little political resistance. The EPA is powerless to stop this extremely harmful practice; they haven't even won the battle that would require oil companies to disclose what chemicals they use. And recently, a New York law that would have forced a more comprehensive review of the environmental and health ramifications of fracking in the Delaware River basin was struck down by the US government, citing "sovereignty" issues. It seems the government may be scared of what a complete report might uncover, and the fact that our government is so quick to dismiss such an obvious health hazard is very frightening.
So what can Mr. Nunnelee do? First, he should publicly condemn hydraulic fracturing, and as a member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, his doing so would be very powerful. It would also make him look like a strong, open-minded conservative leader, rather than a pawn of Tea Party fruitcakes like Michele Bachmann and Joe Barton (a documented liar and quite possibly the worst, most corrupt, most ignorant person in our government, evidenced here and here). There is no room for compromise (an idea most Republicans seem especially comfortable with following the recent debt talks) when it comes to pumping unknown chemicals thousands of feet underground to break up the rocks. Remember, it makes tap water flammable. This isn't a partisan issue, and conservative members of Congress - members like Alan Nunnelee - now have the opportunity to show Americans that Republicans are capable of caring about more than big corporations.
It's time for Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to stand up for the people they represent, and Robert Stavins discusses the possibility - and feasibility - of market-based environmental protection initiatives that would allow for "flexible compliance" options and should pacify both Democrats and Republicans (and, like, save the world, obviously). He goes on to warn us about the consequences of falling prey (again) to partisan politics:
[R]egardless of what they think about climate change, conservatives should resist demonizing market-based approaches to environmental protection and reverting to pre-1980s thinking that saddled business and consumers with needless costs.
Market-based approaches to environmental protection should be lauded, not condemned, by political leaders, no matter what their party affiliation. Otherwise, there will be severe and perverse long-term consequences for the economy, for business, and for consumers.
These kinds of regulatory policies would be an easy sale to Democrats. So now it's time for Republicans to step up. A good place to start is for Republican Congressmen like Alan Nunnelee to use their positions on relevant committees and subcommittees to make a difference. They must recognize the legitimacy of climate chance science and the exigency of its implications, and they must act now.
If you agree, call Mr. Nunnelee at (202) 225-4306 and let him know.
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