Tell Congress to deliver real energy solutions

05/05/2006

Dear Editor,

The ever-increasing cost of gas is front-page news these days.  Feeling the heat, members of Congress want to appear as if they are doing something to ease our pain at the pump. 

Unfortunately, rather than taking steps to reduce our dependence on oil, many members of Congress are buckling to Big Oil and offering the same old tired solutions.

Proponents of drilling in the Arctic Refuge are using high gas prices as an excuse to again try to open up this natural treasure, while another proposal seeks to open our coastlines to drilling for natural gas.

LCV has been at the forefront of the fight against such legislation that not only harms the environment, but will have no impact on gas prices today, tomorrow, next week, or next year. 

Despite the abundance of dangerous proposals floating around Congress, there is one that would deliver real solutions to our energy crisis.

H.R. 4384, the Energy for our Future Act is a comprehensive, bi-partisan energy bill that would effectively reduce U.S. dependence on oil, promote energy independence, build a market for renewable energy, promote conservation, and protect the environment. 

The Energy for our Future Act, which is led by environmental stalwarts Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), has three principal goals:

- Making a car go further on a gallon of gas
- Creating incentives for energy efficiency and promoting the growth of renewable energy
- Repealing approximately $8 billion in tax breaks for oil, gas, nuclear and coal companies

Contact your Representative today and urge him or her to co-sponsor the Energy for our Future Act. 

LCV applauds the sponsors of this legislation, who clearly understand that improving our energy efficiency is the least expensive, most effective way to reduce energy demand and costs reducing our dangerous dependence on oil. 

Please act today to make sure that this common sense piece of legislation is passed.

Sincerely,

Gene Karpinski
President
League of Conservation Voters