Rhode Island lawmakers and agency bureaucrats have crafted an energy strategy and related policies that are not reflective of reality: The much ballyhooed state goal of becoming the first “net zero” carbon emissions state in America by 2050.

Given current technology, such “green” ambitions are impossible to achieve from a production capacity perspective, would severely limit choices for consumers, and would make energy so costly that it would become unaffordable for most families and businesses. 

Further, our state’s energy posture fails to recognize the abundance, the low cost, the decreasing carbon footprint due to technological advances, and the overall and historical benefits of an economy and a society that is based on energy derived largely from fossil fuels.

While our RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is a nonpartisan entity, we today recognize, for its public policy implications, an important energy resolution passed by the national Republican Party, which may eventually become part of its official national platform.

The proposed resolution immediately below, with my limited edits (in italics), is a slight rework of the GOP resolution as I believe it should pertain to Rhode Island. Further below on this page is the original text of the resolution.

State and municipal lawmakers are encouraged to pass a similar resolution in the Rhode Island General Assembly and in local town and city councils.

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RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGY FREEDOM POLICY FOR RHODE ISLAND

WHEREAS, Affordable, reliable energy is essential to American and human prosperity because it gives us the ability to use machines to become productive and prosperous; and more affordable and reliable American energy leads to a better economy, a lower cost of living, more well-paid job opportunities, a smaller deficit, and greater national security;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuels are and for the foreseeable future will remain a uniquely affordable, reliable, scalable, and secure source of energy—the only source that can provide plentiful energy to a million of our people in thousands of places;

WHEREAS, Energy poverty is a crucial problem at home and abroad, affecting tens of thousands of Ocean Staters and billions worldwide, including the three billion individuals who survive daily on less electricity than a household refrigerator;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuel energy gives us an unprecedented ability to protect ourselves from the climate, driving down climate disaster deaths by 98% over the last century by powering the technology that protects us against storms, extreme temperatures, and drought;

WHEREAS, America and Rhode Island need an energy policy that ensures plenty of fossil fuel energy and fosters promising cost-competitive alternatives like nuclear energy;

WHEREAS, America can enrich itself and empower billions with policies that free human ingenuity to produce energy in as low-cost, reliable, plentiful, and clean a way as possible—while protecting us against harmful emissions and dangerous practices;

WHEREAS, The Raimondo & McKee administrations have restricted investment, production, and transport of American fossil fuels on the false promise that they can be rapidly replaced by solar and wind; has shut down reliable power plants and created unprecedented electricity shortages; has sought to excuse their policies from fault by blaming price spikes on “Putin’s price hike,” post-COVID demand, or the supposed greed of oil companies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Rhode Island should take the following steps to promote state prosperity, increase energy security, improve our environment, and enhance the well-being of a million around our state through energy freedom: (1) Liberate responsible usage and distribution of domestic energy resources; (2) End preferences for unreliable green electricity; (3) Ensure all existing and future air emissions standards incorporate realistic cost-benefit analysis; (4) Withdraw Rhode Island from California’s CARB Electric Vehicle mandates, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and all current energy mandates that punish Ocean State motorists and energy consumers instead of fostering innovation; and (5) Unleash nuclear energy; and

RESOLVED, That the members of this Rhode Island General Assembly urge the Governor and all state agencies and energy committees to advance energy freedom policies that liberate Ocean State energy for the benefit of all.

****  Original resolution text below ****

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGY FREEDOM POLICY FOR AMERICA

WHEREAS, Affordable, reliable energy is essential to American and human prosperity because it gives us the ability to use machines to become productive and prosperous; and more affordable and reliable American energy leads to a better economy, a lower cost of living, more well-paid job opportunities, a smaller deficit, and greater national security;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuels are and for the foreseeable future will remain a uniquely affordable, reliable, scalable, and secure source of energy—the only source that can provide plentiful energy to billions of people in thousands of places;

WHEREAS, Energy poverty is a crucial problem at home and abroad, affecting tens of millions of Americans and billions worldwide, including the three billion individuals who survive daily on less electricity than a household refrigerator;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuel energy gives us an unprecedented ability to protect ourselves from the climate, driving down climate disaster deaths by 98% over the last century by powering the technology that protects us against storms, extreme temperatures, and drought;

WHEREAS, America and the world need an energy policy that ensures plenty of fossil fuel energy and fosters promising cost-competitive alternatives like nuclear energy;

WHEREAS, America can enrich itself and empower billions with policies that free human ingenuity to produce energy in as low-cost, reliable, plentiful, and clean a way as possible—while protecting us against harmful emissions and dangerous practices;

WHEREAS, The Biden administration has restricted investment, production, and transport of American fossil fuels on the false promise that they can be rapidly replaced by solar and wind; has shut down reliable power plants and created unprecedented electricity shortages; has sought to excuse their policies from fault by blaming price spikes on “Putin’s price hike,” post-COVID demand, or the supposed greed of oil companies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That America should take the following steps to promote American prosperity, increase energy security, improve our environment, and enhance the well-being of billions around the world through energy freedom: (1) Liberate responsible development of domestic energy resources; (2) End preferences for unreliable electricity; (3) Reform air and water emissions standards to incorporate realistic cost-benefit analysis; (4) Withdraw from climate agreements that punish America instead of fostering innovation; and (5) Unleash nuclear energy; and

RESOLVED, That the Republican National Committee urges the United States Congress and the White House to advance energy freedom policies that liberate American energy for the benefit of all.