NRDC Launches "Ticker" Campaign to Track the U.S. Senate's Clean Energy and Climate Failure

WASHINGTON (August 18, 2010) – The Natural Resources Defense Council launched a campaign today to spotlight key U.S. Senators for their failure to act on a clean energy bill to fight global warming. Obstructionism by a minority in the U.S. Senate led by Republican leadership, and a small number of Democrats, forced Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to announce on July 22 that climate legislation would not be brought to the floor.

The campaign includes a “Ticker” that tallies the cost of the Senate’s failure to take up clean energy and climate legislation in environmental and economic terms. The campaign includes web and radio ads running in target states to illustrate the consequences of the U.S. Senate’s failure. (See the ticker athttp://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/legislation/.)

“The Senate’s inability to pass meaningful clean energy and climate legislation has serious consequences for our environment and our economy,” said Franz Matzner, Climate Legislative Director at NRDC. “Global warming pollution continues to be pumped into our atmosphere. Jobs that could help revive the economy have been tossed out the door. And each day we do not have a climate and clean energy bill, the U.S. falls further and further behind other countries that aren’t losing any time arguing about whether to invest in clean energy.”

This campaign focuses on Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), George Lemieux (R-Fla.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.).  The “Ticker” advertisements naming the Senators will run in state-specific websites later this week. Companion radio ads naming each Senator will also run this week.

These six Senators have acknowledged the reality of climate change and their votes are closely watched by their colleagues. 

“Since the Senate left town without acting on climate and energy, we created the “Ticker” to help the public understand the consequences of this decision,” said Matzner. “We believe this group of Senators could have made the difference, and so by failing to take the necessary action they are responsible for making our planet more polluted, our economy weaker, and the United States fall further behind other nations in clean energy investments.”

The “Ticker” tracks the U.S. Senate’s Failure by tallying since 2:26 P.M, EDT, July 22, 2010:

  • Tons of global warming pollution dumped into the air.
  • How far the United States has fallen behind other countries in clean energy investments.
  • Number of jobs nationally, and in each state, the Senate could have created.

For example, here is the script of the radio ad being run in Missouri:

“In Washington, August means break time. The Senate's website says it's a chance for senators to spend time with family and catch up on summer reading. 

But for millions of Americans struggling to pay the bills, there is no summer break.

Last month, Senator McCaskill had a chance to help Americans by supporting a climate bill that would have created up to 1.9 million new clean energy jobs. But it didn't happen.

Senator, when you've caught up with your summer reading, we'd like you to get back to work on passing a strong climate bill -- for American jobs …and for America's future.

Paid for by NRDC.”