WASHINGTON, D.C. – Charles T. Drevna, President of NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, reacted this evening to portions of President Obama’s State of the Union speech that addressed energy and environmental policy. NPRA noted that while the President alluded to climate change legislation narrowly passed last year in the House of Representatives, he declined to aggressively promote cap-and-trade climate change legislation, favoring instead incentives for innovation and greater efficiencies. The Association, however, cautioned that new jobs should not be created at the expense of existing jobs through environmental policy.

 

“We certainly support policies that will foster innovation, help create sustainable jobs for Americans, and drive this economy forward,” Drevna said. “We’re pleased that the President chose not to aggressively press for cap-and-trade legislation that would only put more Americans out of work and ensure a continued economic decline. President Obama should be applauded for turning his attention to the economy, jobs, continued investment in innovation, and increased domestic energy production.  A cap-and-trade climate bill would only run counterproductive to his objectives.

 

NPRA believes that a cap-and-trade approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a recipe for economic failure, and that efforts to restrict carbon emissions through a regulatory scheme under the Clean Air Act would impose enormous costs and burdens on consumers and domestic manufacturers without any measurable environmental benefits.