House Committee Passes American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

(Washington, D.C.)

Statement of John DeCock, President, Clean Water Action

An important committee in the United States Congress has confirmed what we all know: the current is shifting and our nation is on the path to transforming our energy economy and curbing global warming. The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee last night, is a signal that we are ready to reap the economic and environmental benefits of clean smart energy production and reducing global warming pollution to head off the worst impacts of climate change.

The important question is HOW we will get there. Clean Water Action will be mobilizing to win improvements in this bill as it moves through the US House and the US Senate. It is imperative that this historic comprehensive energy and climate plan measure up to what is needed to reduce global warming, to achieve the clean energy transformation we need and to protect water and other natural resources.

Areas of particular concern include:

• Pollution reductions that get the job done and appropriate oversight by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure the program meets its goals;
• Provisions for global warming polluters to pay for this pollution so that revenue is available to assist consumers and support efficiency, renewables and other clean energy programs;
• A renewable energy program that ensures we move quickly to repower the economy;
• Emphasis on the safest, least expensive and fastest solutions - particularly efficiency;
• Not investing limited public resources to assist sources of energy that continue to waste and pollute water resources - including coal and nuclear power.