Climate Capsule Week of June 29, 2009

Highlight of the Week

House Makes Historic Vote for Clean Energy

President Obama’s call for comprehensive energy and climate legislation this year was answered by the House of Representatives in passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act by a 219 to 212 bipartisan vote.

The legislation will establish a new U.S. energy policy that reduces dependence on foreign oil and builds a new, domestic clean technology manufacturing base to supply wind, solar, and other renewable energy.  The bill also takes significant steps toward solving the global warming crisis by limiting carbon pollution.

Larry Schweiger, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said:

“House passage of a cap on global warming pollution makes this the most important conservation vote in a generation. The House showed great resolve to undo a flawed energy policy and move America toward a fundamentally different energy future.

“The American people prevailed today despite stiff opposition from Big Oil. Now we take this cause to the Senate with the winds of change at our back.”

In fact, the victory of the House vote had hardly sunk in when talk of Senate progress began. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada deemed the bill “a good product for the Senate and (its) committees to start considering.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry of Massachusetts, who has been meeting regularly with Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer and other senators to sketch out energy legislation, said he is confident about a Senate vote, while David Axelrod, Obama’s top political advisor, told reporters he thinks the Senate “will come to the same conclusion” as the House.

Senate discussion of energy legislation is expected to begin in earnest when lawmakers return from the Fourth of July recess. 

Contact: Tony Iallonardo at 202-797-6612 or iallonardot@nwf.org.

White House: New Light Bulb Standards Could Save Billions

President Obama announced Monday that he has asked Energy Secretary Steven Chu to work toward stricter government efficiency standards for light bulbs.

Coming just days after the House approved the first comprehensive energy legislation ever designed to mitigate the effects of global warming, the new initiative aims to help improve energy efficiency and save consumers money.

The White House says the new standards will save enough electricity between 2012 and 2042 to power every home in the U.S. for up to 10 months, and will result in annual consumer savings of between $1 billion and $4 billion.

Happening This Week

Congress is on recess this week.

Quote:

"Now it's up to the Senate to take the next step.  And I'm confident that in the coming weeks and months the Senate will demonstrate the same commitment to addressing what is a tremendous challenge and an extraordinary opportunity."

— President Obama, expressing his confidence that the House passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act foretells similar success in the Senate.

Economic Message of the Week
Business and Utility CEOs Call for Action on Energy and Climate

In the weeks leading up to last Friday’s crucial House floor vote, scientists and conservationists were far from alone in pushing for comprehensive new energy legislation.

In an open letter to President Obama and members of congress, business leaders from a variety of sectors urged the passage of new measures to cut carbon emissions and institute an economy-stimulating cap-and-trade program.

The letter, which ran as a print ad in major Washington, DC publications, endorsed the American Clean Energy and Security Act as a way to “drive investment into cost-saving, energy-saving technologies” and “create the next wave of jobs in the new energy economy.”

Companies included in the coalition include Nike, Duke Energy, HP, Austin Energy, and National Grid.

Poll Finds Americans Favor Emissions Regulation

The successful passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act through the House dovetails with public support for cleaner energy practices.

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that three-quarters of Americans believe the federal government should regulate the release of carbon into the atmosphere from power plants, cars, and factories to lessen global warming. The majority of those surveyed said they would support emissions management even if it required a small increase in utility costs, and most polled supported a cap-and-trade measure similar to that contained in the energy bill recently passed in the House.

Emissions regulation is considered a signature issue for the Obama administration and leaders in congress, as well as the centerpiece of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Despite claims that energy legislation is a partisan issue, the poll respondents in favor of carbon-limiting measures encompassed Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

NWF Hosts 5th Annual Great American Backyard Campout

Thousands of families, communities, and recreation groups across the country participated in Saturday’s fifth annual Great American Backyard Campout, part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There campaign.

Held each June, the Great American Backyard Campout is a national event that encourages friends and families to camp out together for one night.

The Be Out There campaign is designed to get families across the United States to open the door and get outside. The lifelong benefits of outdoor play are real: healthier kids with a life-long appreciation of wildlife and nature.

Contact: Amanda Cooke at 703-438-6041 or cookea@nwf.org