Study: Carbon tax would come at high cost in La.

A tax on carbon emissions would have a “devastating impact on manufacturing in Louisiana,” leading to a loss of jobs, a rise in gas prices and significant increases in electricity bills. That’s according to a study released today by LABI and National Association of Manufacturers, the nation’s largest manufacturers’ association. “As talk has continued in Washington about a carbon tax, the results of this study are very troubling, as Louisiana’s consumers would see their energy bills go up across the board,” says LABI President Dan Juneau in a prepared statement. “Businesses throughout Louisiana would be dealt a costly blow. Louisiana is an energy-producing and consuming state, and a carbon tax will only cause us more economic harm.” The report, titled “Economic Outcomes of a U.S. Carbon Tax,” says a carbon tax could cause a manufacturing decline in energy-intensive sectors by as much as 15%, and by as much as 7.7% in non-energy-intensive sectors. As a result, income losses in Louisiana would be the equivalent to losing between 34,000 and 84,000 jobs in 2013 alone, and as many as 59,000 jobs by 2023. Also, in 2013—if it were the first year the tax were implemented—the study says natural gas prices in Louisiana would increase by more than 40%, gas prices at the pump would jump by more than 20 cents per gallon, and households would see a 12% increase in electricity rates. Democrats and environmentalists have long called for a carbon tax to curb carbon dioxide emissions blamed for warming the planet. You can find the complete study results here.