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Tell Congress: Start reducing global warming pollution now!

Picture of Coal PlantWe need your help!  Please tell Congress to send the President an energy bill that puts America on a path to a cleaner, renewable energy future and starts to turn us away from our long addiction to dirty fossil fuels –- because our future depends on reducing global warming pollution every chance we get!

Even though Congress will not begin to move an economy-wide global warming cap and trade bill until later this fall, the House and Senate have a chance to start reducing our greenhouse gas pollution now by sending the President a good energy bill that takes important first steps toward fighting global warming.

Where we get our energy from -- and how efficiently we use it -- makes a big difference in our global warming impact.

This summer, the House and Senate each passed large energy bills. Now these two need to be reconciled into one bill that goes to the President. We need to tell Congress to keep the best parts of each bill if we want to begin reducing U.S. global warming pollution now!

A good energy bill can spur innovation in clean energy, start reducing our dependence on dirty fuels like oil and coal, and help curb global warming.

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Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Send the President an Energy Bill that Reduces Global Warming Pollution

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that the final energy bill that goes to the President reduces our global warming pollution now by promoting clean energy solutions and lowering our nation's dependence on fossil fuels.

A vital first step in combating global warming is to put the country on a path to a new energy future. Any energy bill Congress sends to the President must contain the House bill's (H.R. 3221) common-sense onshore oil and gas reforms and it's 15 percent renewable electricity standard.

The Senate's 35 mpg fuel efficiency standard must also be included in any final package. Moreover, please ensure that if biofuels production is expanded it is done right, or not at all. Any expansion must be under the Clean Air Act, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contain necessary safeguards for public health, forests and other sensitive habitats.

With a good energy bill, Congress can take an important first step in combating global warming pollution. Please do everything you can to help make this first step a reality.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 05, 2007


Background Information

 Earthjustice At Work

Picture of Coal Plant

Earthjustice continues to fight for responsible energy production and use to preserve our public lands and protect our water and air:

- Earthjustice helped stop a coal-fired power plant that would have degraded the Everglades by increasing polluting emissions such as mercury and carbon dioxide.

- Earthjustice are pushing the coal plant developers in Kansas to invest in wind resources and efficiency instead of investing in more dirty coal plants.

- Earthjustice is fighting to hold Massey Energy Company accountable for violations including illegally dumping coal slurry waste, rubble, and wastewater into Appalachian waterways.

Last summer the Senate and House each passed sweeping energy legislation (H.R. 6 and H.R. 3221, respectively). Over the next several weeks they will have to work out the differences between their two measures in order to have a final bill to send to the President.

The good news is that Congress has the opportunity to take the best from each bill and create a final energy proposal that takes our nation forward on a cleaner energy future, makes important first steps to reduce U.S. global warming pollution, and eliminates subsidies and other incentives for Big Oil.

Congress will soon be making their most important energy-related decisions of this year as they decide how best to reconcile the House and Senate bills.

At stake are important issues that will determine whether we start to kick our addiction to oil and coal and take the country in a new energy direction that will help combat global warming. 

Some of the most important issues at stake include:

Oil and Gas Development: Not only is our fossil fuel use heating up the planet, but many of our pristine Western public lands are being sacrificed by reckless oil and gas development thanks, in part, to an array of leasing and permitting shortcuts, as well as billions in taxpayer handouts Congress gave to Big Oil in 2005. The House-passed energy bill starts to take back our public lands and our money from Big Oil by including a number of common-sense reforms to the 2005 "shortcuts" and repeal  billions in oil and gas subsidies. Among other things, the House provision would protect Colorado's beloved Roan Plateau from development, help to protect surface owners from drilling on their property, ensure the public has a say in development decisions on public lands, and require that water resources damaged by drilling operations be restored.

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ): The easiest and cheapest way to curb global warming pollution from cars and light trucks is to make them go farther on a gallon of gas. The Senate-passed energy bill has a provision to increase the fuel economy standards of our cars to a 35 mpg combined city/highway by 2020. This provision must be included to help stop our addition to dirty fossil fuels.

A Renewable Electricity Standard (RES):  The House included a requirement that at least 15 percent of our country's electricity will come from renewable sources, like wind and solar, by 2020. This will put us on the path of reducing both how much coal we burn for electricity generation and how much we mine for fuel.  It’s a win for fighting global warming pollution and reducing the environmental destruction caused by coal mining, such as blowing the tops off of mountains in Appalachia.

Picture of Canyon LandsBiofuels:  Biofuels need to be done right or not at all, as you could trade one set of environmental harms for another. The Senate included a massive new target for biofuels production that lacks important safeguards. Most importantly, any expansion of the U.S. biofuels program needs to be under the Clean Air Act, just like the existing program (the Senate provision is not) in order to protect human health. Other safeguards are also needed when considering the production of biofuels such as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions along with the protection of critical wildlife habitat, natural forests and grasslands, water quality, and on human health.

What can you do

Please tell Congress to make the new energy bill not only progressive in curbing the threat of global warming, but innovative and practical in energy production while safeguarding our special places, protecting the quality of our air and water, and protecting fragile ecosystems.