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Big Win on Bad Energy Bill... For Now
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Solar powered electricity-generating station.
photo: WWF-Canon /Adam Oswell
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World Wildlife Fund and other conservation groups scored a major victory in the U.S. Senate when the Energy Policy Act of 2003 was blocked on a procedural vote. The bill fell far short of Americans' hopes and expectations for a sound energy future, according to a recent public opinion poll from Zogby International. Indeed, the legislation represented a significant step in the wrong direction.
While the November 2003 vote represents a significant victory for sustainable energy policy, we are not out of the woods yet. Congress is expected to take up the bill sometime in 2004, using the intervening time to gauge the public's reactions and concerns. WWF members and CAN activists are encouraged to contact their senators to urge them to continue in their opposition to this bill by sending an email through WWF's Conservation Action Network or calling them via the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.
WWF has been engaged in the debate on a comprehensive energy bill for three years, and the efforts of WWF members and staff, and CAN activists -- who sent more than 12,000 email messages opposing the measure -- were crucial in achieving this major victory over harmful legislation.
WWF thanks you for your support and hard work and asks that you continue your efforts until this legislation has been defeated entirely.
Background
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Increasing traffic, as well as the associated air pollution and fuel consumption, are becoming major problems for cities.
photo: Warren Gretz |
The Energy Policy Act of 2003 an attempt at the first major overhaul of the nation's energy policy in a decade. This legislation fails to address two of the most significant and long-term challenges we face as a nation: ensuring a stable, secure, environmentally-safe energy supply, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
Additionally, the bill contains no standards for increasing production of clean, renewable energy or improving automobile fuel economy. Rather than finding a balance between increasing energy output and reducing demand, this bill instead would put a heavy emphasis on boosting energy production using fossil fuels, ignoring at our peril the growing body of scientific evidence that shows fossil fuel consumption is having long-term, negative impacts on both human health and the environment.
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