NICK POPE
CONTRIBUTOR
Residents of blue states with aggressive climate policies are paying significantly more for electricity and fuel than red states, according to a new report by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New York and New Jersey are seven of the top eight continental states in terms of highest average retail electricity prices in 2023, according to ALEC’s report. Each of these states have some sort of green energy mandate, which the ALEC report refers to as a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), or participates in a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, or both.
“As Americans continue facing risks to their energy needs, recent government policies implemented in the name of political agendas ignore the real-life realities Americans face as a consequence,” ALEC’s Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Manager Joe Trotter said of the report and its findings. (RELATED: ‘Out Of Bullets’: Biden Admin Fears The Return Of $5 Per Gallon After They Drained Strategic Oil Reserves)
WATCH: @SenJohnKennedy Destroys Dep. Energy Secretary – Exposes Climate Change Fraud By Asking One Question
KENNEDY: “If we spent $50 trillion to become carbon neutral…How much is that going to reduce world temperatures?”
SEC TURK: “This is a global problem.”
KENNEDY: “You… pic.twitter.com/eja5PJzM00
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 4, 2023
Red states like Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Louisiana are leaders in electricity affordability in 2023, according to ALEC’s analysis. Unlike the blue states with the least affordable electricity in the lower 48 states, none of these states have their own green energy mandates or participate in cap-and-trade schemes, which the ALEC report calls regional greenhouse gas initiatives (RGGI).
A cap-and-trade program is when a government sets a maximum limit, or “cap,” on emissions, and then issues pollution permits to market participants, according to Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute. Those participants can then trade permits with each other, giving the system a market-based feel as an approach to countering climate change. However, cap-and-trade systems tend to make oil, coal and natural gas more expensive, driving up costs and reducing the number of jobs available, according to the Institute for Energy Research.
“In the 48 contiguous states, the 16 with the highest electricity prices all have an RPS in place, as do 18 of the highest-priced 20 states. Similarly, with the exception of Virginia, each of the states in the RGGI or another cap-and-trade program is within the 15 states with the highest prices of electricity,” the report states.
The differences in electricity costs are stark, with the costs of a kilowatt hour in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut more than doubling the costs of the same unit in states like Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Oklahoma, according to ALEC’s analysis.
The data tells a similar story for gas prices as well. Normal gas prices are considerably cheaper in states like Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, where average prices are about $3.15 per gallon or less, than in states like California, Washington, Oregon and Illinois, where average prices range from about $3.80 per gallon to $4.85 per gallon, according to ALEC’s analysis.
“Gasoline costs have an enormous impact on consumers, so state legislators need to be cognizant of how their state’s laws and policies impact their constituents,” the report asserts. “States with more stringent fuel content requirements, more regulations, and above-average taxes generally have higher gas prices than those that do not.”
The ALEC report also assesses diesel fuel costs, an important economic factor because of its ubiquitous use in trucking and transporting goods.
The report found that “in general, states that are not hostile to fossil fuel manufacturers and have larger agricultural sectors tend to have lower diesel prices… In areas of the country with higher prices, such as the West Coast and Northeast, shipping prices, as well as the eventual consumer cost, will rise compared to areas with lower diesel prices. Additionally, shipping companies could rationally decide not to serve areas where fuel prices are particularly high, limiting the supply of over-the-road shipping.”
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“Carbon taxes” are just another regressive tax scheme.
And government debt is just a way to spend future taxes today. Enjoy the party.
It’s 13F outside this morning and my gas furnace running nearly steady. I find its sound and the electric blanket on my lap to be quite pleasant.
My oil furnace and wood burner are working well today. I am helping to green the planet.
My fireplace insert is also doing its job. Got Gabby the cat a new bed and put near the insert and she’s been curled up in it all day. One content cat. Both cockers, Buckley and Geisha, just groomed yesterday, go warm their bones by the insert when they come in from their walk. And so do I.
Coal is just old trees that nature has heated and compressed for easy storage.
“… my gas furnace running nearly steady.“
_________________________________________
The Green Mob wants to wants to regulate the natural gas industry out of business LINK so enjoy your gas furnace while you still can.
Soon to join Germany where the WSJ reports, electricity is now considered to be a luxury item not affordable by many Germans, who have resorted to burning wood for heat and to cook – how’s that for your carbon footprint
For those of us who need links for claims that might not be true:
How Electricity Became a Luxury Good
German government advisors are calling for a completely new start.
ABC News
Hmmm, after deciding to read the link, it turns out that it’s ten years old.
“If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” ~ Will Rodgers.
2. The ABC News source you linked is still good information — age of an article does not, per se, make its contents obsolete. Further, your linked ABC article says something more anticipatory than Mr. Howard’s assertion:
Electricity is becoming a luxury good in Germany.
That was true and, per the WSJ (a cite would, indeed, be nice), it has happened.
Steve, perhaps you should be the one taking Mr. Rodgers advice.
https://www.iea.org/reports/renewable-energy-market-update-june-2023/how-much-money-are-european-consumers-saving-thanks-to-renewables
I just looked outside. This red state turned blue is all white outside and it’s still falling like a bitch.
On the west side of the divide as well. I have to say temperature-wise it has been a warm fall, and the forecast into next year looks to stay warm, nothing below the teens.
Not sure why anyone would want weather outside below 60 or above 90.if it were warm enough at night one might sleep on the ground but not me thanks.
” it’s still falling like …”
… trust in government.
At its present rate, snow will be above the lower part of the roof in about a week.
trust in government.
Is it possible to measure trust in the negative?
The cost of Socialism in action.
Socialism is the government owning the means of production.
In Cuba in the 90’s you would see slogans everywhere, “socialism or death”, and they almost got it right.
Just replace the or with and and you’ve nailed it.
Here in Alberta the people who dislike Trudeau the most are those that see him most clearly, people born in Venezuela, Cuba, Eastern Europe, the ussr.
So the only possible conclusion is that oil companies are charging more in Blue states, out of spite for their blue policies. The oil companies plot is so much deeper than expect.
Is this sarcasm? Hard to tell sometimes. How do you think pricing a traded commodity could be done out of spite? What is the spite markup?
Poe’s Law in action.
oh, heck, now I gotta google that term- I must be getting old- er… I am old- can’t keep up with the latest expressions of the youngins….
I am not old (and I doubt that I ever will be — looks can be deceiving 😉). I had heard of, but, could not recall that “law,” either.
So, here, for both of us:
Poe’s law is an adage of internet culture which says that, without a clear indicator of the author’s intent, any parodic or sarcastic expression of extreme views can be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of those views. Wikipedia
I would edit to say: “can and will be … .” 😊
Yes, one needs to be as clear as possible, or some people will get the wrong idea.
Edgar Allan Poe?
FYI, I’m in the process of writing up a short essay on the disappearance of the wild ranier from its traditional northwest habitat in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and southern British Columbia.
It is now thought that climate change may have played a role in their demise. The now extinct wild raniers are depicted in this original painting by Spokane artist Travis Chapman.
Ah, yes! I fondly remember the annual running of the wild Raineers. That was before their habitat was ruined by Bud Light.
As we would expect, more than twenty years after strong competition from similar wild species within the same beerological genus was identified as the critical factor influencing the extinction of the wild raniers, history is now being rewritten to point the finger at climate change as one of several primary causes of their disappearance.
I thought it was the Artesian’s, starting in the Olympia area, that drown all the stately raniers. I remember plenty of warnings about those tricky Artesians.
I think it is sarcasm—because of the word “only.”
Yes. Seems like sarcasm to me. I generally try to avoid it in purely text posts/exchanges with strangers because it is so easily misunderstood on the interwebs.
The problem with sarcasm is that it usually relies on making a statement that is so absurd, that nobody would assume you are being serious.
The modern day left has gone so far around the bend, that no matter how absurd a statement you may make, someone on the left has already said it.
Mark, that’s a good summary in different words of Poe’s Law.
Around here, the best you can do is look at who’s saying it. That SOMETIMES helps.
story tip – Mann’s other Nature Trick
https://climateaudit.org/
I have a question: If one’s goofball Northeast state comes to its senses and drops all pretenses to saving the universe from carbon, does one’s energy generation charge decline or is one still held hostage because of the other goofball states within the ISO?
the NE states will never come to their senses until their economies collapse
Argentina only took around 90 years… . 🤨
Argentina has a history of seeming to come to the senses every 20 to 30 years or so. Unfortunately, as soon as the somewhat sane politicians get things straightened out, they go right back to socialism again.
Sounds like the United States. Republicans get the situation staightened out, and then Democrats come in and screw things up, and then Republicans have to come back in and straighten things out again.
We are currently at the “Democrats screw things up” stage and are looking forward to Republicans coming in and straightening things out. Let us hope.
Otherwise, it’s time for the revolution. Red States will have to go a different direction.
Idaho, Wyoming, Utah,…well, our electrical energy prices are headed upward dramatically too because our utility is voluntarily ditching coal for a combination of wind and natural gas. The Biden Administration is forcing coal out to aid with the ozone transport from Utah and Wyoming into deep blue Colorado, and regional haze.
From the hill near my house I can see Rocky Mountain National Park 80 miles or so to the south. Our visibility is not limited by regional haze, but instead by curvature of the Earth. The flat Earthers in the D.C. area don’t understand this.
Did you ever notice that apostrophes are not found on mountains?
E.g., purple mountain majesties.
The author has pretty much described Canada under Justin Trudeau, except there are no red provinces since our courts have ruled that CO2 issues are of national importance and the federal governemt has over riding jurisdiction. We’re screwed until the dictator is overthrown, if he’s overthrown. Canadians are sheep, roll over and ask for more.
Alberta isn’t rolling over.
Smith going to announce some pushback this week.
The photo at the top appears to be from a past high in gas prices.
There has been about a 20% decrease since then. Central Washington
State price is now in the $3.90 / gallon range. Without the State’s
“carbon” fee, it would be about $3.30.
It’s about 3.30 to 3.50 in WK
even lower in some towns- not sure why
The cheapest gasoline in the Denver area is down to about $2.30/gal.
Current average UK (RAC average) price is
(at 3.8 litres per US gallon, £1.50 per litre, £1.25 per $US)
=$7.12
On the motorways expect to pay $8.26
Welcome to Europe.
Always been much higher in Europe.
Doesn’t California have a unique blend for their State?
I filled up yesterday in Venice, FL, $2.95/gallon. It is the taxes per gallon that create most of the disparity in pricing.
Wow, usually Colorado and Florida are comparable but for some reason we’re nearly as cheap as Texas currently.
Association is not causation!
This old guy remembers how things were 40 years ago before climate was an issue. I think you will find the relative cost of energy between states have not changed.
Good local goverment would have low property taxes good schools, and low crime. I have lived in places like that. NPR out of the big city claimed that our schools were bad based on low teachers salaries. However, if you looked school ranking done by independent studies based on student achievement, they were among the best in the country.
On a state level, bad goverment loves to tax energy. People blame power companies and oil companies when the bill comes in at the end of the month. Climate is just the latest excuse.
My vote for bad state goverment is Califonia.
I’m shocked I tell you, shocked.
I just drove Austin to Portland and confirm the headline is true.
Price of petrol in Uk is currently $7.4 per US gallon
Statements like that _used_to_ befuddle americans.
Under-Assistant Deputy Secretary Skinhead gives the same non-answer, no matter what question he is asked.
“The U.S. is 13% of global emissions. This is a global problem. . . ” Et cetera. ad nauseam. ad absurdum. The secretary insists we must spend a bazillion jillion, just in case, even if we don’t know what difference it might make.
And they send people to college to study public administration, in order to inflict this insanity on an unwitting public? It’s gotten to the point where no satire, no matter how cruel, can make the policy seem more absurd.
At least we have Senator Kennedy to expose the naked emperor’s minions.
The Dep. Energy Secretary being questioned by Senator Kennedy
https://t.co/eja5PJzM00
is delusional, as apparently are the majority of the climatista, in his belief that
the rest of the world is going to follow the US lead on “climate” policy.
Of course that is on top of the top politician priority: never give a straight and true answer to anything.