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Environment New Mexico Praises Senator Udall’s Vote on Clean Energy Bill

Santa Fe—The Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee today passed the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733) by a vote of 11-1. The bill, sponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair John Kerry and Senate EPW Chair Barbara Boxer, sets the first-ever federal limits on global warming pollution and invests in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green transportation.

“Clean energy has the potential to revive our economy, create millions of clean energy jobs, and stop global warming. This bill begins to move our nation toward clean energy,” said Jake Horowitz, the Mountain West Field Associate with Environment New Mexico.

The key components of the bill include the following: The bill aims to reduce global warming pollution by 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. It preserves the Clean Air Act’s requirements that old clunker coal plants, the nation’s single largest source of global warming pollution, eventually meet performance standards. It uses revenue from the sale of pollution credits to make large investments in clean energy, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green transportation. And, the bill sets a national goal for reducing pollution from the transportation sector.

Unfortunately, the Republicans on the committee boycotted consideration of the bill.

“We applaud Senator Udall for voting to move America to clean energy. Now we’re counting on him to work to pass the strongest possible bill through the Senate. A strong bill has the potential to create millions of clean energy jobs, make America more energy independent, and cut pollution fast enough to stave off the worst effects of global warming,” concluded Horowitz.

Environment America’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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