House Passes ACES: A Dramatic Breakthrough for Clean Energy and Climate Protection

Washington, DC (June 26, 2009) - For the first time in history, the House of Representatives has passed a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill. Clean energy and climate is one of President Obama's top priorities and this is a significant step toward moving this legislation to the President's desk.

Following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council:

"The House of Representatives has made a dramatic breakthrough for America's future by choosing to create jobs, move to clean energy, and reduce global warming pollution. The passage of this legislation, which was almost unimaginable six months ago, will help set our country in a new direction by shifting to a clean energy economy and reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

"While passing the bill through the House took hard work and compromises on many sides, this is strong and vital legislation that Congress needs to deliver to the President's desk this year. This bill will help create new jobs in manufacturing and clean technology. It will increase energy efficiency, help consumers save on energy bills, and protect lower-income families. And it will finally put our country on a course to limit the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

"But the work is far from over. Now, the bill will move to the Senate where it needs to be strengthened, so we can reach the full potential of our clean energy future and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. We can achieve this by strengthening the targets for carbon pollution. We also need to safeguard our national forests and sensitive ecosystems; fully account for the carbon emission from bioenergy production; and ensure that farming and forestry projects get credit only for carbon pollution reductions that would not happen anyway. And we need to make sure that as we establish limits on global warming pollution, we build on the tools of the Clean Air Act, not replace them.

"This is an historic day for America. Across our country, we are seeing growing momentum from business leaders, entrepreneurs, faith groups, labor unions and many others, who are excited to get behind a new approach to clean energy that will create jobs and make us a leader for the 21st century global economy."

You can watch or post a video statement by Frances Beinecke, here:
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/video_of_frances_beinecke.html

Read Frances Beinecke's blog, here:
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/house_climate_vote.html