By SUSAN BLOWER
Indiana Correspondent

NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) believes President Obama will postpone cap-and-trade debates.
Climate change legislation (HB 2454) was adopted by the House with a 219-212 vote this summer.

Popularly known as “cap-and-trade,” the bill caps carbon emissions that businesses may produce, reported the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Companies that produce less than the mandatory limits may sell the balance of their credit to those companies that exceed cap levels.

“What are the prospects of the cap-and-trade bill in the Senate? You said that the average Hoosier family would see an increase in costs of $3,200 per year (if the bill becomes law). We in the Midwest are tired of subsidizing the Coasts,” said Nate LaMar, president of the Henry County Council.

In response to LaMar and other similar questions, Pence said he didn’t think the prospects for cap-and-trade were good in a weak economy because the bill would raise utility rates.

“In a state in which 90 percent of our electricity comes from coal power plants, your bill’s going up (if the bill is passed in the Senate). With many seeing an increase in costs of around $400 a year, it’s a big deal and an even bigger deal in manufacturing. We’re also going to continue to grow jobs overseas (if costs keep increasing here),” Pence said.

“There is no more important issue before us than creating jobs.”
Pence is optimistic that the White House, too, is backing off from climate change legislation.

Less vocal support combined with the possibly canceled trip to the Global Warming Summit in Copenhagen leads Pence to suspect that conclusion.

He said the upcoming Jobs Summit is a positive direction.
Farmers and costs

After the meeting, Pence added that farmers in particular would be effected by the climate change bill.

“It is particularly harmful to business on the farm.
The input costs for businesses in agriculture – the idea of raising costs for energy – is antithetical to growth.”

Other upcoming concerns that he has for farmers include higher taxes. Congress will debate the so-called “millionaires’ tax increase,” a tax on the wealthy to help pay for health care.
That, combined with the expiration in 2011 of former President George Bush’s tax cuts, will involve “significant tax increases” for many farmers, Pence said.