I took this photo today at the Capitol, where twelve senators, two national security figures, and scores of supporters gathered for the announcement of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.
We’re excited that work in the Senate is beginning in earnest, and look forward to working with the Senators and staff to pass a smart, tough bill.
The exodus from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce continues. A third energy company is dropping its membership over the Chamber’s short-sighted opposition to the clean energy bill.
Chicago-based Exelon announced today that it will not renew its membership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. That comes on the heels of last week’s announcements from California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) that they were were leaving the Chamber.
Of course, what it really follows is the Chamber’s ridiculous demands for a “Scopes Monkey Trial” to debate whether climate change is real.
The New York Times has the full story, and the Wonk Room has good quotes from Exelon’s CEO, John Rowe. You can also hear John Rowe on how climate change can be addressed affordably in an ad he did with us earlier this year.
All three refugees from the Chamber are members of USCAP (as is EDF). That means they’re pushing for Congress to pass a cap on carbon pollution — a move they see as a good business opportunity.
So, if three of its biggest members see a carbon cap as a money-making opportunity, why is the Chamber of Commerce opposing it?
See this story from NPR that explores whether it’s because the president of the Chamber is also on the board of directors of Union Pacific — a company that makes a large part of its money shipping coal.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been one of the loudest opponents of the American Clean Energy and Security Act — in spite of the objections of some of its members. Now one of those members has decided the rift is too big to ignore. PG&E just announced that it has dropped out of the Chamber because of “fundamental differences” over climate change.
According to a PG&E blog:
Other companies, including Nike and Johnson & Johnson, have also criticized the Chamber for its reactionary stance on climate change.
PG&E, like EDF, is a member of USCAP — a group of corporations and environmental advocacy groups that are supporting a cap on carbon pollution.
There’s a lot of news about the clean energy bill now that Congress is back in session, but we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss this announcement: EDF has joined dozens of other groups to create the Clean Energy Works Coalition.
The five dozen groups represent more than 12 million Americans from all walks of life — faith groups, veterans groups, sportsmen, business communities and youth groups as well as environmental advocates (see the entire list below). All of them are pushing for a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan that will deliver their priorities for our future — more jobs, less pollution, and greater national security
EDF is proud to be part of this unprecedented effort. Take a look at what people are saying:
We have a lot of activities planned for the next few weeks, and we’ll let you know about them as they unfold.
Clean Energy Works members:
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) * American Federation of Teachers * American Hunters and Shooters * American Values Network * Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now * Audubon * Blue Green Alliance * Business Forward * Campus Progress * Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good * Catholics United * Center for American Progress Action Fund * CERES * Chesapeake Climate Action Network * Clean Economy Network * Clean Water Action * Climate Protection Action Fund * Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life * Communications Workers of America * Community Action Partnership * Defenders of Wildlife * Democracia Ahora * Earth Ministry * Earthjustice * Economics for Equity and the Environment * Environment America * Environmental Defense Fund * Faithful America * Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund * Green Faith * Green for All * Jewish Council for Public Affairs * Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) * League of Conservation Voters * League of Rural Voters * League of Women Voters * Live Earth * Marianist Environmental Education Center * My Rural America * NAACP * National Security Network * National Wildlife Federation * Natural Resources Defense Council * Ohio Interfaith Power and Light * Pew Environment Group * Progressive Future * Restoring Eden * Service Employees International Union * Sierra Club * Sierra Student Coalition * Southern Energy Network * SustainUS * The Regeneration Project * The Wilderness Society * Truman National Security Project * Union of Concerned Scientists * Union for Reform Judaism * United Steelworkers * US-CAN * Utility Workers Union of America * Veterans and Military Families for Progress * Veterans Green Jobs * VETPAC * Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy * Virginia Interfaith Power and Light * Virginia Organizing Project * VoteVets * Working America * World Wildlife Fund
EDF’s Vice President Marcia Aronoff just got back from Troy, New York, where she got to show off the latest addition to www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org to two Congressmen, a college president, green business entrepreneurs, and the media.
Marcia was invited to speak at Rep. Scott Murphy (D-NY-20) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-21)’s news conference on clean energy. The Congressmen, both big supporters of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, were at Hudson Valley Community College to see a new solar panel installation built by students in the Green Jobs Training Program.
Marcia unveiled the brand new New York state map on www.LessCarbonMoreJobs.org. New York is our 21st state to be added to the site, and it’s one of the richest for clean energy companies. The map shows 200 businesses that are working in the energy efficiency or renewable energy markets. But, as Marcia said:
Those businesses are poised to grow under a clean energy bill, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. A clean energy bill that puts a cap on carbon pollution will put American ingenuity to work, and will help launch businesses and create jobs here in New York. We can put our renewable energy resources to work for us and revitalize our economy.
See a short video clip of the news conference here.
Two groups of American veterans, military and national security leaders are calling on Congress to take action on clean energy legislation.
Last week we told you about Partnership for a Secure America — a new group that’s calling for a climate bill for the sake of our national security. Now the group has released a signed statement calling for “a clear, comprehensive, realistic and broadly bipartisan plan to address our role in the climate change crisis.”
The statement is signed by 32 heavy-hitters from national politics and the military, and from all over the political spectrum.
At the same time, our friends at Vote Vets are launching a new national TV ad campaign. From their website:
Featuring Iraq War Veterans, (the ad) makes the case that oil profits to the Middle East fund the same terrorists we’re fighting, and closes with the line that “It’s not just a question of American energy, it’s a question of American power.”
Vote Vets has also sent more than one hundred veterans to Washington D.C. this week to push for passage of a bill. They are working with a coalition of other veterans and security groups called Operation Free.