Wow. 5 Current & Incoming GOP Congress Members Willing To Admit Tiny Elements Of Climate Reality

A handful of Republicans make a conservative case for climate change concern in the new Congress being sworn in today. But nobody expects them to break with the denier-dominated majority on the most important fossil fuel issues in the months ahead. These GOP climate science believers have been hailed for offering a "kinder, fresher approach to climate issues," and some environmental advocates have mused on the influence they might wield over their peers.

These Republicans advocate "clean energy." But they also support construction of the Keystone XL pipeline for transporting oil from the carbon-intensive Canadian tar sands to Texas refineries. And they all oppose the Obama administration's prime climate initiative – the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rules for curbing carbon emissions from existing coal power plants – and likely would vote for legislation to block EPA.

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Gibson said last month he plans to introduce a resolution meant to rally Congress to "recognize the reality" that climate change is behind events like the three 500-year floods he has witnessed in the last several years in his district. "We have changing weather patterns, and we have climate change," he said at a forum organized by Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, a nonprofit issues advocacy group. "This is the science. I hope my party will come to be comfortable with this, because we have to operate within the realm of science.

Gibson said he supports the Keystone XL pipeline with an eye to keeping energy costs low, but he also praises the Energy Department's "Sunshot" program aiming to reduce the cost of solar energy. He wants to see more federal support for renewable and other clean energy technology. "Emissions is something we've got to tackle," he said. "We've got to be smart at how we do it."

Ed. - Uh . . . OK!

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http://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2015/01/gop-congress-climate-science