While Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) have been working since January to pass this clean energy bill, the opposition has refused to come to the table and negotiate. Instead, Rep. Barton and others in the opposition are stalling with more than 400 unproductive and time-consuming amendments that they know won't go anywhere, such as one yesterday from Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that required the cost of the legislation to be printed on everything short of a baby's forehead. David Doniger, Policy Director for NRDC's Climate Center, writes more about these tactics in his blog.
Congressman Barton and his cohorts are standing in the way of progress that is widely supported by Americans, will spur investment in clean energy from the wind and sun, and will reduce our dependence on dirty and expensive fuels.
Reps. Waxman and Markey have made the process as open as possible, holding more than ten hearings on the legislation. According to a letter Chairman Waxman sent to Congressman Barton, over the past two Congresses the Committee has held more than 40 days of hearings on energy and global warming policy, at which more than 300 witnesses testified - 130 of them this year alone.
Despite the many opportunities for Congressman Barton to weigh in, shape the bill, and represent the interests if his constituents, he is doing nothing but delaying the process. Either the opposition is out of ideas, which is why they are running the clock, or they are unwilling to work with their colleagues to compromise.
Either way, these tactics are harmful to the Congressional process and are holding back the solutions that America needs to move to a clean energy future. Leaders on the Committee have been doing real work for months, so it's time for Barton and co. to stop stalling and get working.
]]>As he said, "the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century." Not only did he commit to repowering America with renewable energy, energy efficiency, and a smarter smart grid...but he actually outlined his plan for putting a cap on carbon emissions and creating revenues that will fund renewable energy technologies.
Tonight he asked Congress to send him "legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America." This means, he explained, investing fifteen billion dollars a year on efficiency, on biofuels, and on harnessing the natural power of the wind, sun, and heat of the earth.
This is absolutely the change that America needs, and it is change that will set our nation on the path to a clean energy economy. As the president unveils his budget outline on Thursday, I expect to see - and share - more details about President Obama's plan to refuel our nation and jumpstart our economy.
]]>NRDC's experts have been weighing in on opportunities to make the stimulus as strong and green as possible. Set for a vote in the House later today and next week in the Senate, the stimulus package contains vital provisions to make America's homes and buildings more energy efficient. There are also weatherization programs for low-income families, investments in water and transportation infrastructure, and funding for renewable energy.
The bill is still being shaped. In fact, House members tried to offer 206 amendments to it! Because things are changing so quickly, I want to provide a brief sketch of where NRDC stands on some vital provisions.
Public Transit and Transportation Infrastructure
In his recent Huffington Post blog, Deron Lovaas, NRDC's Federal Transportation Policy Director, made a case for how best to spend our transportation dollars. Currently, the stimulus provides $30 billion for highways, $9 billion for transit, and $1 billion for rail. But to maximize job growth and cut down on global warming pollution, we need to increase transit funding and make sure that highway investment is explicitly targeted to repair and maintenance of crumbling roads and bridges.
This is why Deron is working with other groups and members of Congress to support an amendment that would increase funding for transit and rail to $12 billion. The amendment will be voted on later today...
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Efficiency is the fastest, cleanest, and cheapest energy resource we have. Renewable energy resources such as the sun and wind are plentiful and technologies are just beginning to tap their potential.
The House economic recovery bill contains a number of excellent clean energy provisions, including $3.4 billion for states for clean energy projects.
The bill also includes an urgently needed grants program for renewable energy technologies covered by the renewable energy tax incentives. The value of these tax incentives has been seriously undermined by the economic downturn because business losses are soaking up most of the tax liability, and thus there is far less need for the renewable energy tax incentives.
A good solution to this problem is the renewable energy grants program in the House bill. The program would provide grants to renewable energy technologies in lieu of tax incentives. This funding is essential to keep the renewable industry growing and is estimated to cost very little to the taxpayer.
Other key clean energy provisions in the House bill are $6.2 for weatherization of low income homes, $3.5 billion for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (supports clean energy projects primarily at the city and county levels), $2 billion for clean energy research & development, and $6 billion for increasing energy efficiency in federal buildings.
Jim Presswood, NRDC's Federal Energy Policy Director, told me that "the House bill's clean energy investments are a bold step towards jump-starting America's clean energy economy."
Water
The stimulus package contains funding to improve our nation's drinking and waste water systems and contains billions for ready-to-go water infrastructure projects, although the House and Senate have yet to agree on how much to spend.
Nancy Stoner, Co-Director of NRDC's Water Program, is following these provisions and writes about the value of investing in our water infrastructure on her blog. Stoner told me that "she is excited to see funding for these vital projects, which will have long-term effects on the quality and safety of our nation's water."
While the stimulus doesn't have everything NRDC would like to see in it, it certainly is a refreshing shift away from policies of the previous administratio. As the bill moves through the House and to the Senate, I'll provide updates on any changes to these important provisions.
]]>On Tuesday, in a taped statement, President-elect Obama clearly affirmed his commitment to addressing global warming. After eight years of working with an administration that has actively avoided necessary action on global warming, we have a president who recognizes the urgency of the situation and believes it should be a top priority for his administration.
Frances Beinecke, the President of NRDC, said it best in her blog: "U.S. leadership on the climate crisis has arrived."
How right she is, and how good it feels to have a leader who believes we must work together to confront this challenge. As sea levels rise and places like my hometown of New Orleans grow more susceptible to stronger storms, the time to solve global warming is now.
The third green act of the week came this afternoon when Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, echoed President-elect Obama's commitment. She said: "I believe strongly that when we address the threat of unchecked global warming by investing in clean energy technologies and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, we also have a recipe for economic recovery. The time to start is now..."
In her speech, Senator Boxer announced plans to introduce two pieces of legislation that will curb global warming pollution, fund clean energy technology, and create good jobs.
It is hard to describe the sense of change in DC. After years of environmentalists playing defense, we are now working together to take on the climate crisis, the greatest challenge of this generation. With all that has happened this week, I can't help but feel hopeful as the shake-up continues.
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