Here's Where Incoming Republicans Stand on Climate

by Mark K. Matthews (E&E News) If they stay true to their campaign rhetoric, the class of freshman House Republicans won't be leading any revolutions next year on the issue of climate change.

In a few cases, there are reasons for climate activists to be cautiously optimistic.

Wisconsin voters picked Republican Bryan Steil to take the place of outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan (R). During an October forum, Steil said, "I believe that climate change is real and I believe humans are a key component in that."

Down in Florida, Republican Rep.-elect Michael Waltz has argued that climate change poses a real risk to U.S. security. "We do need to — from a military standpoint, even a national security standpoint — deal with the effects of a warming Earth," Waltz said in a 2017 segment on Fox News (Climatewire, Sept. 10).

And Rep.-elect William Timmons (R-S.C.) has spoken positively of the benefits of solar power, even telling the Washington Examiner that he planned to get solar panels installed on a new home.

But Alex Flint of the conservative group Alliance for Market Solutions said there are a few reasons to be hopeful about GOP support for climate change legislation.

Environmentally conscious Republicans such as Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Francis Rooney of Florida are returning to Congress next year and have already taken steps to move forward with new carbon fee legislation — an approach favored by the Alliance for Market Solutions. READ MORE