Environment America on Monday released “The Clean Energy Future Starts Here: Understanding the American Clean Energy and Security Act,” an analysis that puts the energy bill passed by the U.S. House in June in the perspective of its role in moving America toward clean energy, green jobs, and reduced global warming emissions.
The analysis comes as Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer and Foreign Relations Committee Chair John Kerry plan to release their energy bill on Wednesday, which will be the starting point for the Senate debate and is expected to follow the framework of the House bill.
The report concludes that passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act–even with the compromises made to secure passage in the House–would be a significant step toward a clean energy future for the United States and would represent a ground-breaking political achievement.
“It’s time to unleash the power of clean energy to transform our economy and reduce global warming pollution,” said Environment America Global Warming Program Director Emily Figdor. “While we need to do more to capture the potential of clean energy, the House-passed bill is an essential step forward to get us where we need to go.”
The ACES Act includes provisions to improve the energy efficiency of the American economy, as well as the nation’s first-ever mandatory nationwide limits on emissions of global warming pollutants. In addition, the bill establishes a framework for the future expansion of renewable energy in the U.S.
However, Environment America contends that the ACES Act has some major flaws and calls on the Senate to improve on the House bill. That bill removes EPA’s current authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. It also relies heavily on offsets–global warming emission reductions that take place overseas or in areas of the economy not covered by the emission cap–the effectiveness of which is uncertain.
Environmenta Americay says the ACES Act also misses out on important opportunities to modernize the U.S. energy system, reduce pollution, and create new clean energy jobs. This is due in part to a weak renewable electricity standard in the bill and untapped potential for energy efficiency.
Finally, the group says the bill gives away far too many of the valuable emission allowances to polluters for free.
"Despite its flaws, passage of the ACES Act would be an historic achievement, for both substantive and political reasons," Environment America said in a release. "The ACES Act is a clear step in the right direction of reducing pollution, promoting energy efficiency in our buildings and our communities, and stimulating clean energy."
The ACES Act requires periodic scientific review that creates a pathway for the bill’s goals to be strengthened over time.
Figdor concluded: “The ACES Act must be understood as part of a longer-term strategy to achieve a clean energy future for the nation–a strategy that builds momentum among policy makers and citizens across the country. The opening act doesn’t need to inspire a standing ovation as long as it sets the stage for great acts to follow. This bill can help lay the foundation for clean energy, green jobs, and reduced global warming pollution.”
Read the full Environment America analysis at the link below.
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