Issues:

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Climate Change

As the scientific and political debates surrounding climate change continue, Americans are open to learning as much as they can about the issue and how theproposals to address it will affect their lives.  But understanding and deciding what to do about this complex global issue -- while ensuring that other nations also do their part while not over-burdening U.S. workers, seniors, farmers, consumers, drivers, and others – is a tall order.

To be sure, addressing climate change will not be easy, and it will be costly.  The "cap and trade" bill that narrowly passed the US House in 2009 requires that US carbon emissions be cut by 17% in 2020, and by 80% by 2050.  All studies on the impact of this legislation indicate that energy costs will increase and that American jobs will be lost – the questions are of degree and to what relative benefit .   Since House passage of this legislation, it appears that the United States, and much of the rest of the world (remember the collapse of negotiations at Copenhagen), has concluded that too much is still unknown about climate change and the appropriate policy responses each country should consider, if any.  What climate change proponents call “delay,” Tesoro tends to think of as demonstrating “common sense.” 

In the US, comprehensive climate change legislation is likely halted for the next several years while Congress, reflecting the popular will, takes a moment to fully consider all the facts and options.  There are some in Washington, however, who are not willing to participate in a transparent and objective review of this complex issue and are instead intent on using the broad regulatory powers of the federal government to impose that which cannot stand public scrutiny.  Even as this is being written, the unelected leaders at USEPA are moving forward to implement an aggressive and smothering set of regulations on climate change that could choke the life out of the American business community and jeopardize our collective emergence from the Great Recession. In fact,  many observers have noted that EPA’s proposed regulations of greenhouse gases will prove to be more expensive and onerous than even the comprehensive cap and trade concept rejected by the US Congress. 

As you can see from the following chart, the EPA is moving aggressively forward with its agenda. 







Any serious effort to deal with climate change will profoundly touch Americans lives and jobs.  That is why Tesoro is  convinced that America needs an informed, ongoing discussion between our government leaders and the citizens they work for – which includes the active participation of Tesoro workers, families, and customers.  There can be no illusions.  Climate change presents hard choices with serious consequences; we all need to roll up our sleeves and tackle them head-on.  Although the venue of this debate may be shifting temporarily from the Congress to the bureaucrats, the consequences for us all are no less serious -- and will almost certainly be more expensive.  We invite you to join us and to stay closely involved as we work to help inform and structure the best outcome possible for all concerned.