Environmental Defense Applauds Coleman Co-Sponsorship of Lieberman-McCain Climate Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Keith Gaby, Environmental Defense, 202-572-3336

Steve Cochran, Environmental Defense, 202-387-3500

(WASHINGTON — May 22, 2007) — Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) yesterday announced that he will co-sponsor legislation to cap carbon emissions across the U.S. economy, winning praise from Environmental Defense for bringing additional bipartisan support to the effort to enact comprehensive limits on global warming pollution.   

“Senator Coleman is showing strong leadership here. By endorsing a cap and trade bill that makes serious cuts in global warming pollution, he is demonstrating a real commitment to solving this problem.  Coleman deserves real credit from all Minnesotans concerned about our environment,” said Steve Cochran, Climate Campaign Director at Environmental Defense.

Sen. Coleman has agreed to co-sponsor greenhouse gas cap and trade legislation co-authored by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), S. 280, the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act. The bill would put a comprehensive cap on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and let businesses trade emissions credits to meet their reduction targets, spurring innovative and least-cost solutions to the climate problem.

“This is another indication of the momentum for good policy that is building on climate change.  We look forward to working with Senator Coleman as Congress moves ahead,” said Cochran.   Coleman joins fellow Minnesotans, Rep. Keith Ellison and Rep. Betty McCollum, who are also co-sponsoring strong global warming bills.