The Citizens Climate Lobby held its 6th annual conference in Washington, D.C., June 21-24. Ten volunteer lobbyists from Maine attended. This was the largest per capita delegation from New England and one that can make a difference.

CCL promotes political will for a livable world specifically by lobbying for a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend. CCL’s marketbased policy proposal, drafted by George Shultz, secretary of treasury under Reagan, states that a steadily increasing fee gets placed on fossil fuels as close to the source as possible. One hundred percent of the fee is then returned to the people.

The proposal also includes a border adjustment. Countries that do not have a price on carbon would pay a tariff, keeping a level playing field for US companies. US manufacturers get a rebate when exporting to a country without a price on carbon.

Economic modeling of this proposal clearly shows that it would build the economy, add jobs, and dramatically cut carbon dioxide emissions while not growing government.

These are the results of a similar revenue neutral carbon pricing strategy that has been in place in British Columbia for 6 years. Most major oil companies are already now including carbon pricing in their financial planning, with EXXON favoring, specifically, a revenue neutral approach.

Senator Susan Collins crafted a similar proposal, the clear act, in 2009. Senator Angus King has been a strong proponent of legislation to slow climate change.

Peter Garrett, an environmental scientist, is the state CCL coordinator and can be reached at (207) 592-0004

Laurie Sproul Canton