By Carrie Pond
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-831671.mp3
Murray, KY – First District Representative Ed Whitfield visited Murray Wednesday. He says stronger evaluation of the Obama administration's energy policy is necessary to combat the region's high unemployment rate. Carrie Pond has more.
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Congressman Whitfield says he's hesitant about President Obama's endorsement of a cap and trade program that limits greenhouse gas emissions. Whitfield says countries like China are building coal-fired power plants at a rate of two a week, making it difficult for American companies who have to follow more stringent regulations.
"And they're not putting scrubbers on them, they're not doing anything about carbon dioxide sequestration. And so we've got to be very careful about how we move in this area because it'll make us less competitive in the global marketplace."
President of the clean energy coalition the Apollo Alliance, Jerome Ringo, says he understands the congressman's fear, but says other countries' bad energy policy shouldn't influence whether or not the United States pursues safe and responsible practices. He says U.S. lawmakers should lead by example and put pressure on countries like China to improve their energy policies.