Good news on energy
08/14/2007
Dear Concerned Citizen on Energy and the Environment,
Last Saturday, a historic House vote moved America closer to a green energy policy. Thank you—you helped make it possible.
In crafting and passing the energy bill, our champions in Congress fought hard and won concrete steps to curb global warming and boost wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. Congress also voted to revoke some of the perks that the energy industry enjoyed under a Republican Congress—over industry's strenuous objections (see below for details on the bill).
How'd we get this far? MoveOn members pulled out all the stops. In the last few months, 1,011,568 of us took action! Together we:
Pooled our money to run two hard-hitting ads on energy—"Dingellsaurus" and "House of Representatives of Big Oil?";
Held 235 "Call for the Climate" events to make sure our message got out in the districts of key energy legislators;
Gathered over a million petition signatures to Congress to:
—stop liquid coal,
—increase the share of our electricity from clean energy,
—cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050, and
—protect American consumers for gas price gouging;
Put in almost 11,000 calls to 150 key Congressional offices.
We weren't alone. Our allies at the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, US PIRG, and many other groups all pushed hard for progress on energy and climate too.
And MoveOn members were clear with our leaders about what's at stake:
It's time to do as the Bible urged us to do and be good stewards of the Earth. It's really the only intelligent thing to do.
—Ivey E., Columbia, South Carolina
How will we get China to turn away from dependence on DIRTY ENERGY SOURCES like coal if we embrace it?
—Margery S., Santa Rosa, California
I am a grandmother and I am profoundly concerned about the lives of my beloved grandchildren. Global warming gravely threatens their future.
—Virginia S., Branford, Connecticut
Somehow I still hold out hope that this congress will find it's moral collective voice and make some real changes that challenge this administration's short-sighted and reprehensible energy policies.
—Vicki R., Marina del Rey, California
Many times in our nation's history change has come and the entrenched powers fight to the last to keep what they have regardless of the needs of the nation. We are now, in another one of those periods! We must gain energy independence and clean up our environment. —Larry S., Fitchburg, Massachusetts
It's a big fight, and there's plenty left to do. We still have to make sure a strong bill emerges from the House-Senate conference committee—and then get it signed by the President. And make no mistake—this bill alone won't solve climate change or take us all the way to a clean energy economy. We'll need to keep pushing, starting this fall, when Congress is slated to take up a big climate change bill.
But it's important to take a moment now and recognize the progress we've made. Getting this energy bill passed is an achievement that would have been impossible a year ago. Remember how the Bush energy policy was crafted by Dick Cheney and his oil industry cronies?
It's a big step, and you made it happen. Thank you,
–Ilyse, Wes, Tanya, Justin, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Friday, August 10th, 2007
P.S. The House and Senate have each passed their own version of the energy bill. The conference committee will try to work out the differences. Here's what's in the bills right now (courtesy of the Houston Chronicle):
SOLAR AND WIND POWER: House requires electric utilities to produce 15 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources. Senate has no such requirement.
ENERGY CONSERVATION: House has new efficiency standards for appliances, lighting and buildings, and creates bonds to be used by cities and counties for energy conservation. Senate has appliance and lighting efficiency standards.
FUEL ECONOMY: House bill has nothing on automobile fuel economy. Senate bill increases auto mileage requirement to 35 mpg by 2020 for cars, SUVs and small trucks, about a 40 percent increase.
ETHANOL: House bill has no mandate on ethanol use as a replacement for gasoline. Senate requires a sevenfold increase in ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022. House provides tax credits for installing E-85 pumps. Senate requires half of new cars manufactured by 2015 be capable of running on E-85.
HYBRID CARS: House provides tax breaks, subsidies for research into better batteries for plug-in hybrid cars and up to $4,000 tax credit for purchasing such cars. Senate provides loan guarantees and other assistance for advanced diesel and hybrid battery technology.
CARBON DIOXIDE: House calls for an assessment of areas for underground carbon dioxide storage and calls for developing large-scale storage demonstration projects. Senate has similar provision.
PRICE GOUGING: House bill has no provision. Senate makes it unlawful to charge an "unconscionably excessive'' price for oil products, including gasoline.
Source: "House OK's $16 Billion in Oil Company Taxes." Houston Chronicle, August 5, 2007. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5027513.html.