ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE

 

Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Initiatives

 

Minutes of the Meeting

Monday, September 28, 2009

8:30 a.m.  Senate Hearing Room 1

 

Members Present:

Senator Sylvia Allen, Chairman

Senator Richard Miranda

Senator Amanda Aguirre

Senator Russell Pearce

Senator Chuck Gray

Senator Thayer Verschoor

 

Members Excused:

Senator Ron Gould

Senator Al Melvin

 

Staff:

Tony DeMarco, Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Research Analyst

Jennifer Thomsen, Senate Assistant Analyst

 

Chairman Sylvia Allen called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m. and the attendance was noted.

 

Senator Allen announced Senator Gould and Senator Melvin were excused.

 

Update on Federal Legislation

 

Michael Curtis, Executive Secretary, Arizona Municipal Power Users’ Association provided an update on HR 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 sponsored by Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Representative Edward Markey (D-MA).  Mr. Curtis also answered questions posed by the Committee members.

 

Presentations

 

Kimball Rasmussen, CEO, Desert Power presented information regarding the findings of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the greenhouse theory, the role of renewable energy, and the economic implications of climate policy, referring to a PowerPoint presentation entitled “A Rational Look at Climate Change Concerns” (Attachment A) and a handout entitled “A Rational Look at Green Jobs and the Implications for the U.S. Power Sector” (Attachment B).  Mr. Rasmussen also answered questions posed by the Committee members.

 

Dr. Craig Idso, Chairman, Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide             and Global Change testified regarding the IPCC findings on carbon dioxide induced global warming, referring to a PowerPoint presentation entitled        “CO2-Induced Global Warming:  Is the IPCC Presenting an Honest Assessment of the Evidence?” (Attachment C).  Dr. Idso also answered questions posed by the Committee members.

 

Economic Forecast/Industry Roundtable

 

Cynthia Zwick, President, Arizona Community Action Association spoke regarding the impact of high energy prices on low-income families, referring to handouts entitled “Fair Climate Change Policy:  Principles for Protecting Low-and Moderate-Income Consumers by Mitigating the Costs of Climate Change     Policy and Investing in Re-building Communities” (Attachment D) and “High         Energy Prices and Low-Income Americans; Reducing the Risk of Unintended          Injury” (Attachment E).

 

Steven Regis, Vice-President of Engineering Services, CalPortland Company provided information regarding CalPortland Company’s energy conservation efforts in its production of cement, referring to a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Arizona Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Initiatives” (Attachment F).  Mr. Regis also answered questions posed by the Committee members.

 

Cathy Reheis-Boyd, Executive Vice President & COO, Western States Petroleum Association testified regarding impacts of federal and state climate policies on the petroleum industry, referring to a handout entitled “Arizona Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Initiatives; Costs of a Cap and Trade Program” (Attachment G).  Ms. Reheis-Boyd also answered questions posed by the Committee members.

 

Public Testimony

 

Joseph Hobbs, representing self, testified in opposition to the federal Cap and Trade legislation.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Bill Ritz

Committee Secretary

 

(Audio recordings and attachments on file in the Secretary of Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115).

 

 

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                        Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Climate Initiatives

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