In comments submitted yesterday to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce regarding climate change policy recommendations, the National Association of Manufacturers advised leadership to find a balance between protecting our environment and continuing to grow our economy.

NAM recommended that any climate change proposals must be flexible, global in scope, pre-empt state climate laws, transparent, considerate of our economy and viewed in context of an overall energy policy.  Additionally, any proposal that does not anticipate global participation will be doomed to simply transfer the emissions from one country to another.

Moreover, NAM said that climate change policy should be viewed in the larger context of an energy policy. “Any proposed climate change legislation should carefully consider its impact on future energy prices, potential fuel switching, energy technology development, and the realistic fuel mix for how America will make electricity and fuel its vehicles in the next 10, 20, and 50 years,� the NAM said. 

In February, the NAM unveiled its Energy Security for American Competitiveness proposal.