Statement of EDF National Climate Campaign Director Steve Cochran on Senator Boxer

(Washington – February 3, 2009) “We applaud Senator Boxer for her common-sense principles from which to move forward rapidly on climate legislation. As President Obama said after his election, ‘Delay is no longer an option.’ 

“U.S. companies are ready to build the new technologies the world needs to reduce global warming pollution, and the sooner we cap greenhouse gas emissions, the sooner we’ll create new customers at home and abroad for American manufacturers. The longer we wait, the more ground we’ll lose to competitors across the globe who are already moving ahead.
 
“Strong signals are being sent in the first days of this new Congress. In the House, Speaker Pelosi has called for a vote on cap and trade legislation this year, and Chairman Waxman is working quickly to pass a bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Senator Boxer today made clear that she will move with equal determination in the Senate.
 
“The principles she outlined today reflect not just good policy ideas, but the real results we all want from cap and trade legislation — aggressive pollution reductions, economic growth, and a global solution to climate change.”

With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org