Washington, DC – With Congress debating major financial bailouts and economic stimulus measures, it is more important than ever that Congress renew the clean energy tax credits before adjourning this week, according to Environment America.
“Clean energy is one of the few bright spots in our otherwise gloomy economy. On top of putting Americans to work in good jobs and giving the economy a much needed boost, energy efficiency and renewable energy helps end our dependence on oil; stop global warming; prevent destructive mining and drilling in our special places; and clean up our air,” said Environment America Executive Director Margie Alt. “Before adjourning this week, Congress must help keep the lights on in the renewable energy industry by renewing the clean energy tax credit extensions.”
The U.S. Senate is expected to vote today on renewing tax credits to spur investments in wind, solar, and geothermal energy generation, energy efficiency for homes and businesses, and brand new incentives for ultra-efficient plug-in hybrid vehicles.
“While all these burgeoning clean energy industries need a boost, the investment in plug-in electric vehicles is new and especially exciting,” said Alt. “Plug-in hybrid vehicles are the next phase in vehicle technology and the most meaningful step we can take to cut our dependence on oil. These vehicles can achieve up to 100 miles per gallon and will save the average driver more than $1,500 dollars a year at the pump.”
This summer, Environment America conducted a national campaign to focus attention on the benefits of clean energy and opportunities it provides to help solve America’s energy problems. The group released a series of reports showing the enormous potential for concentrating solar power to meet America’s energy needs, the benefits of high performance energy efficient buildings and case studies of cutting edge clean energy projects already helping curb global warming pollution.
Earlier this month, Environment America released a report prepared for the Center for American Progress showing that investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency create nearly four times as many jobs—and three times as many good jobs paying at least $16 dollars an hour—than spending the same amount of money within the oil industry.
In addition, Environment America and its state affiliates conducted a public outreach campaign talking directly to more than 750,000 people across the country about the benefits of clean energy.
“Clean energy investments are the kind of progress Americans will benefit from today and that future generations and our planet can thrive on long into the future,” continued Alt. “Unfortunately as we’ve seen in the mortgage industry and elsewhere, not every investment is a good one. So while we invest in solar, wind, geothermal and plug-in hybrids, we must guard against investing in dirty technologies that might sound good but in fact will take us backwards and down the wrong path.”
Environment America is urging Congress to strip provisions from the final bill that would subsidize dirty fuels and technologies that would generate more global warming pollution than gasoline, use scarce water resources in the arid west, and despoil acres of our precious environment in the process. Specifically, the group opposes subsidies for liquid coal, tar sands and oil shale.
“The time is now for real investment in our new energy future. We can’t afford to wait for the next president or next Congress to right our course—too many important energy projects and good jobs are on the line and too much is at risk from the effects of global warming and other impacts on our environment and our health,” concluded Alt. “Before Congress adjourns, it must keep the lights on for clean energy and pass the clean energy tax extensions.”
