Climate 411

1. The American Power Act will help us research and develop innovative renewable energy sources here in America.

• The bill will unleash billions of dollars of private-sector investment in clean energy jobs and projects here in America.  Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of General Electric puts it best:  “National policy – including an effective price on carbon and a strong, nationwide clean energy standard – is needed to drive increased investment, which in turn creates new technologies and jobs.”

2. The American Power Act was crafted with the intention of rising above partisan politics. This bill is not about choosing sides or playing favorites, is it about finding real solutions to our climate and energy problems and laying the foundation for an international climate treaty.

• Darren Samuelsohn, a top climate and energy reporter, reiterates why a US vote is necessary to get international talks flowing in his aptly titled article “World waiting for U.S. Congress to Pass Climate Bill”

3. The American Power Act will help America become the world leader in clean energy investment and technology, a title currently held by China.

• According to Information Technology and Innovation Foundation “Asia’s rising “clean technology tigers” – China, Japan, and South Korea – have already passed the United States in the production of virtually all clean energy technologies, and over the next five years, the governments of these nations will out-invest the United States three-to-one in these sectors.”

4. The American Power Act is good for American manufacturers. The balanced energy strategy that includes development of alternative energy such as wind and solar as well as investment in new domestic energy sources will create jobs in clean technology manufacturing.

• The bill includes a $5 billion expansion of the clean energy manufacturing tax credit.

5. The America Power Act will create jobs, at least twice as many as an energy-only bill.

• According to Senator Bingaman’s office, an energy-only bill without a cap on carbon would only create 425,000 new jobs. The Department of Economics and Political Economy Research Institute estimated that a climate and clean energy bill will create at least three times that many.

6. The American Power Act will cut carbon pollution 17% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.

• These targets, on par with those in the House bill, will set us on the path toward reversing the damaging environmental effects of climate change.

7. The American Power Act will cut our dependence on foreign oil and help us break the cycle of sending a billion dollars a day to countries that hate us.

• Included in the bill are significant tax incentives for conversion of trucks to natural gas vehicles.
• There is $7 billion annually earmarked for improving transportation efficiencies and mass transit systems.

8. The American Power Act is good for business. It will create predictability in the market, spurring clean energy investment and job creation.

• The APA sets a hard price collar of $12 to $25 for carbon. The tight $13 range is a vast improvement over the $18 range suggested in the House bill. A smaller range limits wild price fluctuations and leads to higher investor confidence levels.

9. The American Power Act will protect Americans, especially low-income Americans, by ensuring that energy costs stay under control and that revenues collected from utilities under a carbon cap will be rebated to consumers.

• In fact, over 82% of the allowance value will be rebated to consumers or used for public services.

10. The American Power Act will help domestic agriculture and forestry by providing farmers, ranchers and forest owners with opportunities for new revenue streams in the off-set market.

• USDA will have authority over the domestic offset program which will ensure wide-spread participation and that benefits are shared across the industry.

On E2, Ohio Senator Sherrod Browd commented the American Power Act.

“We need an energy policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and addresses the serious threat of climate change,” he said. “I applaud Senators Kerry and Lieberman for advancing this issue. Done right, a clean energy bill will also be a jobs bill.”

Gernot Wagner, EDF expert economist, had this to add:

The American Power Act is most definitely also a jobs bill. We are not out of the woods yet and must do everything we can to stimulate demand for investment. That’s where the cap comes in, and clear rules for where to invest. While the economy collapsed, businesses – especially in the energy and manufacturing sectors –held back investments in part because they are waiting for exactly these kinds of clear rules on climate policy. Now is the time to set those rules.

Mother Jones shows how key Senators are engaging in the process to help advance the climate bill. Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico said:

“I appreciate the time and effort that Senators Kerry and Lieberman have put into crafting this discussion draft and will offer them and Majority Leader Reid my constructive comments and suggestions as I review it.”

The Environmental Defense Action Fund is getting out their message on the need for clean energy with a new print and web ad campaign: Pick your Poison.

The message is the ad is clear: Americans have to make a choice.

We can keep polluting our oceans and financing militants and a cartel that is notoriously unfriendly to America…or we can pass a clean energy and climate bill and move toward a clean energy future.

The web version:

Today the American Power Act, the comprehensive climate and clean energy bill, was released to the public and if the broadly attended press conference and the blogosphere can be any indications, the reception has been decidedly positive.

Joining Senators Kerry and Lieberman at the press conference this afternoon were leaders from the manufacturing and utilities sectors as well as from the faith, military and environmental communities.

Duke Energy, Dow Corning, Honeywell, the Edison Electric Institute, A123 Systems, Northland Ministries, Environmental Defense Fund and National Wildlife Federation are just a few of the heavy hitters who came out to support the American Power Act.

The Environmental Defense Fund also released a statement of support for the American Power Act where President Fred Krupp explained that the Senators’ plan:

“has the support of the key stakeholders because it strikes a balance…They’re offering more domestic energy production with environmental safeguards, strong environmental goals for the climate with more flexibility, and better economic protections.”

Read what others are saying:

On E2, President Obama enthusiastically applauded the American Power Act.

“This legislation will put America on the path to a clean energy economy that will create American jobs building the solar panels, wind blades and the car batteries of the future,” Obama said.

Also on E2, Senator Nelson of Florida commends Kerry and Lieberman for their effort on the American Power Act.

“I’m glad the climate bill includes my proposal for a moratorium on any new drilling, until we know what happened aboard the Deepwater Horizon,” he said in a statement. “Also, they had their eye on expanding drilling into new areas of the Gulf of Mexico near Florida, and I told them to stay out of it. And I’m glad they listened.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada also chimes in on E2 with his support of the process.

“I applaud the efforts of Senators Kerry and Lieberman to develop a proposal that deserves careful consideration by all Senators and the public.  The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates the urgent need to free our nation from its heavy dependence on oil and to create new clean energy industries and technologies. All Americans would benefit from a comprehensive national energy plan that creates millions of clean energy jobs, improves our national security and reduces pollution. Already in Nevada, we have seen how critical investments in solar, geothermal and wind energy, as well as energy efficiency, creates reliable jobs that can never be outsourced and diversifies our state’s economy.

The Wonk Room provides a comprehensive break-down of the comprehensive climate bill which details how:

“The Kerry-Lieberman legislation has a 15-year transition period that supports state-level renewable and energy efficiency initiatives (which will create millions of jobs), invests in smart transportation, and rebuilds American manufacturing,much like Waxman-Markey, but with new support for nuclear energy and natural gas that reflects the interests of large blocs of senators.”

Climate Progress explains how the American Power Act will benefit Americans by creating jobs, cleaning up vehicles, cutting pollution among others.

“It is truly an “all of the above” bill that would reduce oil use, cut carbon pollution, invest in efficiency, and clean energy technologies that create jobs and protect consumers’ wallets. “

The New Republic acknowledges the bill as a compromise but still casts the America Power Act as an imperative first step forward.

“Once even a modest price on CO2 is in place, companies will start finding ways to save energy and cut emissions and find that it’s remarkably cheap and easy to do so.”