Environmental sacrifices must be shared equally

A completely public power state, Nebraska's electric rates are amount the lowest in the nation, but that public power status, coupled with a limited distribution system has hindered development of alternative energy such as wind and solar.

President Obama, ready to leave office in 18 months, taking action that might have been politically risky earlier in his term(s), unveiled regulations to cut nationwide carbon dioxide emissions 32 percent by 2030.

It varies by state, but Nebraska's new goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent between 2012 and 2030, a higher goal because of our reliance on coal for power.

Nebraska will join a lawsuit to fight the federal rules, challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to adopt the stricter emissions standards.

States have until 2018 to submit their final emission reduction plans to the EPA, with gradual step-down phases beginning in 2022 through 2029, with the final targets to be met in 2030.

We don't have space here to explore the whole climate change/global warming debate, but without the cooperation of developing economies such as India and China, meager U.S. efforts will have little effect on a global scale.

We also have to wonder how big a role the carbon credit trading industry has played in Obama's actions.

Check out Al Gore's investments in that industry, which "conveniently" benefits from his 2006 film on climate change, "An Inconvenient Truth."

That film was produced by Gore associates who, with the former vice president, reaped millions of dollars from investors betting on tighter carbon emission regulations.

We can all agree that it's important to protect the environment, but sacrifices must be shared equally and must not be imposed to benefit the wealthy.