U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) is one of two lawmakers urging Senate Democrats to conduct further research before pushing their long-awaited marijuana legalization bill through Congress. This bill seeks to remove the drug from the Controlled Substances Act and would leave legalization up to the individual states. Carter and Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) sent a letter to Biden administration officials Wednesday highlighting the threats that nationwide legalization of marijuana would pose to the nations’ energy grid and environmental goals.
As part of their letter to the Department of Energy, Interior Department, Energy Information Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency, Carter and Lamborn are calling on the administration to answer several key questions in a detailed report by Nov. 30. The letter calls for more research, citing “serious concerns regarding the energy and resource-intensive nature of marijuana cultivation,” according to Carter. Marijuana cultivation alone accounts for one percent of nationwide energy consumption and uses twice as much water as maize, soybeans, wheat, and wine grapes.
Carter said the letter cites the California Independent System Operator and Midcontinent Independent System Operator, who echo his concerns, warning that “the potential for capacity shortages and blackouts only rises” if marijuana is legalized nationwide.
“As Congress debates whether to advance marijuana legalization, the American people must have a better understanding of the environmental costs of this rapidly growing industry. If the Administration seeks to reduce emissions and protect our environment as aggressively as it has previously committed, we must have a comprehensive view of where emissions and other pollution occurs, as they will likely only grow,” Carter said.
Senate Democrats unveiled their bill in early August. The bill would also expunge all prior federal criminal convictions related to marijuana, among other measures.
A report in the Washington Examiner states that nearly 80 percent of marijuana cultivation occurs in indoor facilities, which would only be expected to increase if the drug were legalized. This concerns Carter and other lawmakers – stating that it has been calculated that indoor cultivation facilities can take up far more energy than the average home.
“The demand for prioritizing electricity uses and for increased energy efficiency is a growing concern for the American public,” Carter and Lamborn wrote. “As these strains come to fruition, the potential for capacity shortages and blackouts only rises … It is essential that the nation understand the burden marijuana cultivation puts on the electrical grid and the environment.”
