We deserve clean air

Glen Hooks is exactly right in his recent guest column! Arkansans deserve the public health and financial benefits of clean air. Arkansas officials should be fighting against smog, not siding with coal-fired plants. I applaud the Arkansas Sierra Club for robustly intervening on behalf of Arkansans.

An additional response to disturbing regulatory rollbacks is putting a steadily rising price on carbon. This forces polluters to pay for environmental and public health damage caused and, thus, brings to the marketplace a truer cost of fossil-fuel use. A clear market message is sent to investors, entrepreneurs, consumers and producers: Go with clean energy.

Independent studies show a Carbon Fee and Dividend program can grow the economy, protect family pocketbooks, and clean up the air. While carbon fees may be new to many Arkansans, carbon pricing exists in other nations/territories, including a popular 2008 program in British Columbia. Here in the U.S., conversation is growing across the political spectrum.

This year the conservative Climate Leadership Council released a carbon pricing proposal. Four Democratic senators introduced the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act. In November, volunteers with the nonpartisan Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a 10-year advocate for national Carbon Fee and Dividend legislation, will again meet with D.C. legislators. The bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, a House caucus focused on climate-related issues, is now at 60 members.

Bottom line, as Mr. Hooks aptly indicates: Clean air should unite. These days it may take many players and paths to achieve deserved air quality. JAN SCHAPER

Russellville