New Bill Protects Clean Air Act, Starts Move Toward Clean Energy
September 30, 2009
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair John Kerry and Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer today are expected to
introduce the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.
“This bill is a good beginning,” said Kim McMurray, clean energy
associate with Environment New Mexico. “It is the first of many steps
toward a cleaner, healthier, and safer world.”
A major strength of the bill, according to Environment New Mexico, is
that it preserves and builds on the Clean Air Act’s protections, which
will enable America to move to wind, solar, and other clean energy
technologies by requiring the nation’s fleet of old and inefficient
coal-fired power plants to eventually meet modern air pollution standards.
In addition, the bill also improves on legislation passed by the House
in June by aiming to cut global warming pollution from large polluters
20 percent by 2020. This comes just a week after the release of a
sobering United Nations report concluding that the impacts of global
warming are arriving faster than the world’s scientists had predicted
just two years ago.
“Over the next few weeks, months, and years, we will need to do much
more to capture the full potential of clean energy,” said McMurray. “But
this year begins the race to transform our energy system and avoid the
worst impacts of global warming.”
Environment New Mexico applauded Senator Udall for his leadership and
hard work in crafting this bill.
“We look forward to working with Senator Udall to pass a bill that
creates millions of clean energy jobs, makes America more energy
independent, and cuts pollution fast enough to stave off the worst
effects of global warming,” said McMurray.
Environment New Mexico’s analysis of the House-passed energy bill is
available here:
http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/global-warming-solutions/global-warming-solutions/america-poised-to-turn-the-corner-on-global-warming
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