Fight global warming AND grow the economy
There has been so much recent activity in our global warming campaign that it almost seems like we've already passed meaningful legislation. However, our Legislative Director Elizabeth Thompson warns that we still have a long way to go.
It would be a serious understatement to say that we've seen electrifying developments in our global warming campaign in the last few months.
In January, 10 major Fortune 500 companies joined with Environmental Defense and other leading environmental groups to form the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (US-CAP) calling for a mandatory national cap on America's global warming pollution.
In February, Environmental Defense helped broker a buyout agreement of the utility giant TXU in which the company agreed to halt plans to build 8 out of 11 proposed coal-fired power plants and to join US-CAP.
In March, several congressional committees held public hearings to assess policy options. At these hearings, most (though certainly not all) congressional leaders voiced their support for meaningful national action.
And just last week, the Supreme Court issued a groundbreaking ruling affirming that carbon dioxide is a pollutant and that the Environmental Protection Agency has an obligation either to regulate CO2 under the Clean Air Act or to better explain why not.
About the only thing that hasn't happened is for Congress to actually pass a meaningful bill. That's what we are working around the clock to accomplish.
Based on statements from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, we could see bills come out of committees and come to the floor for votes sometime this summer. We are fully engaged with leading congressional offices and will keep you updated on developments as they happen.
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Posted: 02-Apr-2007; Updated: 02-Apr-2007
