A fresh start, but only a beginning
Renewable power, global warming cap are next
President Obama has begun to chart a new course on energy and the environment for our nation. Yet, he has readily acknowledged the toughest obstacles lie ahead.
In January, Environment America’s Margie Alt, Anna Aurilio and Ivan Frishberg applauded the president in the East Room of the White House as he directed his administration to take steps that will put millions of hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars on the road, reducing our carbon footprint and our dependence on oil.
In February, Environment America’s chair, Douglas Phelps, and Environment Colorado’s Pam Kiely were present as the president signed the economic recovery bill, including an $80 billion down payment on clean energy investment and efficiency that will create 1.5 million green jobs.
“We’re thrilled the president has acted so boldly and swiftly,” said Alt. “Yet there’s a mountain of work left to do, and he’s going to need all the help he can get.”
Obstacles to progress
Energy companies have proposed to build new carbon-spewing, coal-fired power plants. We’re pushing Congress to support an alternative plan, one that would expand wind, solar, geothermal and other clean power.
The president has set a goal for 25 percent of our electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025, which we support. But the ultimate key to unleashing the power of clean energy to transform our economy is the cap on carbon pollution proposed by the president in his February address to Congress.
Despite a pro-environment majority in Congress, approval of either measure is far from assured — especially in the Senate, where special interests and the president’s adversaries need only 41 votes to snarl progress in endless debate and delay.
“That’s why we’re organizing supporters of clean energy all across America,” said Environment America’s Field Director Christy Leavitt. Meanwhile, we’re also working hard to keep mining interests from spoiling the Grand Canyon, restore Clean Water Act protections to America’s waterways, restart cleanups of our worst toxic waste sites, and end years of neglect in our national parks.
