Our National Climate Campaign wants to thank all of our members and activists for their support during this incredibly important vote:

As EDF's National Climate Campaign Director Steve Cochran points out, last week's passage of the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security Act was a huge victory and sets the stage for action in the full House and Senate this year.

In an historic step, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson today formally determined that global warming pollution "endangers" the nation's human health and well-being.

Today's decision reflects the first step under the federal Clean Air Act to begin establishing national emission standards for large global warming emitters but does not contain such emission limits.

It is anticipated that EPA will finalize the "endangerment" determination while it begins developing national emission standards for new motor vehicles and new coal-fired power plants, the nation's two largest sources of global warming pollution.

What are your reactions? Share your comments below.

Care2.com's Director of Political Advocacy Heather Holdridge interviews EDF's Director for Sustainable Technology Jackie Roberts:

Go to http://www.lesscarbonmorejobs.org/ to view the interactive maps.

Make a donation to help us expand this work.

Comment below and add the names of green businesses in your community that are helping to unleash our green energy future.

"To truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy. So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America."

– President Barack Obama

In his speech to a joint session of Congress last night, President Obama made clear that Congress must act, and act quickly, to overhaul our oil-addicted economy with a cap on carbon pollution.

While this unprecedented presidential leadership on climate is very encouraging, many powerful opponents, including the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among others, have continually and consistently worked to defeat climate action.

In a new report, the Center for Public Integrity documents the extent of lobbying by the opposition — which includes a 300% increase in the number of lobbyists working on climate over the last five years.

And, according to data produced by the Center for Responsive Politics, these giant lobbying groups spent nearly half a billion dollars last year on lobbying and political campaign contributions alone. If you include paid ads and funding for think tanks to cloud the debate, that's hundreds of millions more.

We can't hope to match their ability to spend money. But, with the support of our grassroots Action Network and online members, and now the support of the president and critical leaders in Congress, we have the chance to actually win this year.

With the House and Senate reaching agreement on a final stimulus bill, our focus shifts to passing global warming legislation.

Here is our new factsheet on the urgency of global warming action.

Here is our new factsheet on the four elements of a good bill.

Here is our new factsheet describing how cap and trade works.

And here is a list of some of the people who support cap and trade.

What do you think?

Senate and House negotiators reached agreement on a final $789 billion stimulus package Wednesday afternoon.

Hours before the deal was announced, we sent an urgent alert outlining seven elements for a green bill. Our legislative analysts are reviewing the final language of the bill to see how we did. We will update this post as details emerge.

In the meantime, one thing is clear: The EDF Action Network stepped up in a big way. Since early January, you sent more than 120,000 emails urging the House and Senate to pass a green stimulus.

We couldn't be more thankful and proud to have such incredible grassroots support. The EDF Action Network rocks!

Thanks for all you do.

– UPDATED 2/12/09, 10:31am –

What we know so far – we'll know more once we get the full text:

• By far the largest funding ever for clean energy and energy efficiency.
• The Manufacturing Extension Partnership will get funding (as we requested)
• High-speed rail will get $8 billion dollars (even more than we requested)
• Very large investment in transit ($8.4 billion) as we requested
  • Includes funds for new construction of commuter and light rail, modernizing existing transit systems, and purchasing buses and equipment to needed to increase public transportation and improve intermodal and transit facilities.
  • States have 787 ready-to-go transit projects totaling about $16 billion.

"The days of Washington dragging its heels are over." — President Barack Obama, January 26, 2009.

This morning, President Barack Obama signed two executive orders that could be remembered as the critical turning point toward achieving real energy independence and stopping global warming.

Politically, what President Obama said was at least as important as what he signed. His powerful statement affirming his commitment to moving aggressively to cut global warming emissions and unleash America's clean energy future laid out clear goals for action in the coming weeks and months.

What do you think about today's events? Share your views below.