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Dear Members:
This edition of The Virginia Manufacturer is intended to give you, as VMA members, a brief synopsis of the "Cap & Trade" activities and resources that involve the VMA. I know you are suffering from information overload, so we are providing you with this reference document to help you keep informed and provide you with opportunities for action.
It all starts with the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration. ... Simply put, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454), that narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives 219-212, violates almost every principle established in the VMA public policy on climate change regulation (see Climate Change Statement of Principles). The "cap and tax" bill, also known as the "Waxman-Markey" bill, has been estimated by the Beacon Hill Institute to cost Virginians in excess of $25 billion by 2050. The Heritage Foundation estimates that Virginians will pay $500 more per household for electricity and gasoline prices will increase 64 cents per gallon. Finally, the National Association of Manufacturers projects that Virginia manufacturers and other industrial businesses may pay as much as $159 per metric ton of CO2 emitted annually and Virginia should brace for a loss of 56,400 jobs by 2030. Essentially, every major economic impact study demonstrates massive costs with negligible or undefined environmental benefits.
Industrialists understand the importance of environmental stewardship and we commend House leaders and members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for their efforts to address this complex issue. Yet, this bill will regulate and add unreasonable costs to every one of our members, which already bear the burden of local, state and federal compliance cost through the Clean Air Act. Moreover, it allows Congress to select winners and losers through the distribution of allocations to industries. Additionally, any reasonable policy must maintain a competitive playing field for American companies. Unfortunately, the Congress forgot to include the "global" aspects of climate change science in their legislation - international compacts. In fact, we now have a US Secretary of Energy that suggests that it is the U.S.'s responsibility to pay for the GHG emissions of competing countries like China and India. As the Virginia Climate Change Council published earlier this year, China's CO2 emissions growth alone would replace all of Virginia's emissions in 77 days.
So, please review this Special Edition carefully. Educate yourself on the various cost studies. Take notice of the Virginia Congressional members' Vote Scorecard on this issue. Reflect upon our graphical representation of which states voted for "cap and tax" and which did not. Now, go back to my letter to the membership in July and reconsider my comments about Freedom. Seriously ask yourself whether or not the actions of your elected officials are enhancing or limiting your personal Freedom and determine whether or not you are actively working to protect that Freedom.
Virginia's Senators Warner and Webb are critical in this debate in the U.S. Senate. Now is the time and this is the issue for you to make a stand.
Sincerely,
Brett A. Vassey
President & CEO
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Job postings deal for
VMA members!
50% off all job postings on the www.advancedtechnologyjobs.com job board through October 31, 2009. This translates to online job postings each for $100 or less for VMA member companies.
To take advantage of this opportunity to both post jobs to a website specifically targeting applicants interested in advanced technology jobs, like manufacturing, as well as for access to a pool of highly qualified individuals, use the following promotional code when checking out: Fall50.
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Atlantic Design-2-Part Show
September 30 - October 1
Fredericksburg Expo Center
Fredericksburg, VA
The Atlantic Design-2-Part Show is the region's largest event for buyers of custom parts, components, services and design. Come and meet local and national job shops and contract manufacturers face-to-face to find new suppliers, learn new technologies, compare processes, and reduce manufacturing costs.
Find solutions in over 300 categories for the metal, plastic, rubber, and electronics industries including:
Machining/Cutting/Grinding, Fabricating, Finishing, Electronic Assemblies /Components, Forming, Castings, Rubber and Plastics Composites, Design/ Prototyping/CAD-CAM, Tools/Dies/Molds/Patterns/Fixtures, and much more.
For more information and to register for free admission, visit www.D2P.com.
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Business Services Directory
The VMA has launched a new Business Services Directory in a "yellow pages" format to make locating associate members and other reputable companies who can help your business more convenient.
Whether your company needs financial or legal advice, security, staffing, office equipment, laboratory analysis, environmental or engineering consultations and much more, you can find a helpful listing in our directory.
Click here to access the new Business Services Directory or find the link on the VMA website homepage.
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VOLUME 2.0 | SPECIAL EDITION | SEPT 2009
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| Update on Climate Change Legislation | | |
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How Did My Congressman Vote on "Cap & Trade" |
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Congressmen Boucher, Connolly, Moran, Perriello and Scott voted for "Cap & Trade" and placed their support with Representatives from the West Coast, New England and Great Lakes States (see national chart). 28 states rejected "Cap & Trade" and not a single Southern state supported it.
How the U.S. House from Virginia voted:
� Rep. Rick Boucher (D-9) Y
� Rep. Eric Cantor (R-7) N
� Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) Y
� Rep. Randy Forbes (R-4) N
� Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-6) N
� Rep. James Moran (D-8) Y
� Rep. Glenn Nye (D-2) N
� Rep. Tom Perriello (D-5) Y
� Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3) Y
� Rep. Robert Wittman (R-1) N
� Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10) N |
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Virginia Congressmen Rick Boucher recently spoke with the Kingsport Times-News about Climate Change Legislation. His inexplicable rationale for voting to pass "Cap & Trade" was self-described in a meeting with members of the Kingsport Times-News Editorial Board. He stated, "I voted for it because I had to do that to be part of the process and to make the changes that have been made."
Boucher went on to say that lawmakers have "no political will" to mandate the EPA to do a cost-benefit analysis on climate change legislation. He also characterized the National Association of Manufacturers analysis - which indicates the climate change bill would cost thousands of jobs and cause energy prices to spike - as "deeply suspicious." Boucher concluded the Kingsport Times-News interview suggesting that the easy thing for him to do with the "Cap & Trade" bill would have been to "just vote no."
Yet, most Virginians marvel at a scenario where voting against the knowledge of the cost of one's vote and against the best interests of one's own State and District is considered a good vote. Maybe the easy vote was the right vote?!
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How Did Congressional Delegations Vote by State? |
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= majority of state delegation voted against this legislation
= majority of state delegation voted for this legislation
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Beginning July 1, 2009, the VMA initiated a Vote Scorecard system on key Federal legislation. The VMA Vote Scorecard will allow members to track the voting record of each member of the Virginia delegation and compare and contrast the overall votes against other states as illustrated above. Please bookmark the VMA Vote Scorecard page at http://capwiz.com/vmaonline/issues/votes/. |
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3. VMA is soliciting funding for the Virginia Climate Change Council strategic plan from members and members' foundations.
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What is the Virginia Climate Change Council? |
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The Virginia Climate Change Council (VCCC) is a scientific and business organization dedicated to protecting Virginia's environment and growing its economy as well as impartially educating consumers about the costs and benefits of Federal and State environmental regulations focused on climate change and global warming.
Click statement of principles to see in more detail what drives the Virginia Climate Change Council.
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How Do I Get Better Informed? |
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VMA has partnered with the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy to republish two recent studies on the costs of "Cap & Trade" to Virginia consumers and the economy - the Heritage Foundation and Beacon Hill Institute. Thomas Jefferson Institute's President, Mike Thompson, and VMA President, Brett Vassey, co-authored the Foreword to the reports. A copy is available at http://thomasjeffersoninst.org/pdf/articles/CapTradeReports.pdf. The Beacon Hill Institute analysis shows the carbon tax will cost Virginia more than $3 billion in 2020 and over $25 billion by 2050. This increased cost of energy will result in more than 65,000 jobs being lost by 2020 and more than 780,000 jobs by 2050 - a huge number of jobs in our state, real disposable income will decrease by close to $7 billion by 2020 and more than $17 billion by 2050, annual investment in our state will decrease by $911 million by 2020 and by close to $8 billion by 2050, and state and local governments would lose more than $1 billion in taxes by 2020 and more than $9 billion by 2050 in constant dollars. This impact would cause all sorts of problems to our economy as we strive to compete on a national and international level.
In the Heritage Foundation economic analysis the "Cap and Trade" legislation as passed by the House of Representatives will, on the average between the years 2012 & 2035, lower the state's gross state product by over $8 billion, reduce personal income by over $3 billion, eliminate over 26,000 jobs, raise electricity price more than $500 per household and gasoline prices by 64 cents per gallon. NAM has also published a "Waxman-Markey" cost study for Virginia - go to http://www.nam.org/NewsFromtheNAM.aspx?DID={93806330-D536-46CB-AA5F-82D64D8AD6FA}. The VMA and Virginia Climate Change Council have also implemented a progressive "grass roots" program to better inform the public about the costs and benefits of "Cap & Trade over the last 14 months. The highlights are as follows:
1. 8/27/09 VMA co-hosted the Climate Change Forum at the  Omni Hotel with NUCOR. The FORUM was focused on Federal, State and Local leaders to inform them about alternative GHG reduction options and the costs of "Cap & Trade." The keynote speaker, Tom Mullikin, is a nationally recognized speaker on the subject with a unique message. He is a former protégé of Al Gore. He also spoke at the VMA's environmental conference in 2006.
"The Forum was one of the most informative sessions on climate change issues and solutions that I've attended."
- Brent Archer, Columbia Gas
2. 7/30/09 VMA staff participated in NAM Speak Out webinar for update on federal issues, including Climate Change legislation, and encouraged participation in the 8/6/09 NAM Speak Out Town Hall Call for employees of VMA member companies
4. 6/26/09 VMA issued a Legislative Bulletin & Alert with NAM urging manufacturers to oppose the "Cap & Trade" bill in the House of Representatives and Congress.
6. 5/2009 NAM Manufacturing Summit & Congressional Fly-In. VMA participated in Virginia Team that spoke against Cap & Trade to Senators Warner and Webb staffers.
7. 4/22/2009 Co-hosted Cap & Trade Seminar with Thomas Jefferson Institute
8. 1/1/09 Published Simplifying Climate Change and Global Warming - VCCC Guide
9. 12/2008 Held "grass roots" organizing meeting with 8 Virginia trade associations
10. 12/2008 Published VCCC Statement of Principles
11. 6/2008 VMA Board approved VCCC Statement of Principles
12. 6/2008 Founded Virginia Climate Change Council (VCCC)
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2. Join the Virginia Climate Change Council.
3. Support the efforts of the National Association of Manufacturers. Go to
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Virginia Industry Environmental Conference | | |
Network, Learn, Green... Register Today. |
 The Virginia Industry Environmental Conference (VIEC) is the premiere environmental, health and safety conference for Virginia businesses. Attendees will get the best information in the industry on everything from water supply regulation to climate change legislation. We have also added excellent pre-conference professional development training this year, including a track on industrial safety. Finally, the VIEC is unique in that it brings together businesses and Virginia's top regulatory leaders -the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Executive Team and Program Directors are partners in this event. In addition to terrific content, VIEC is an exclusive networking event for environmental product and service providers. There simply is no concentration of industrial leaders in one place in Virginia like this conference.
September 16
9:30-4:15 VEEP Workshop
1:30-5pm VIEC Tracks 1 & 2
5-6:30pm Reception
September 17
7:45-8:30 Registration and Breakfast
8:30-3pm VIEC General Session
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