Flawed Climate and Energy Bill Passes House

Flawed Climate and Energy Bill Passes House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2009 CONTACT: Nick Berning, 202-222-0748 Erich Pica, 202-222-0739

Friends of the Earth Statement on House Passage of American Clean Energy and Security Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder had the following statement in response to todays passage of energy and climate legislation on a 219 to 212 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives: Its a shame we cant celebrate the passage of the first-ever bill intended to reduce global warming pollution. Unfortunately, big oil, dirty coal, corporate agribusiness, and Wall Street lobbyists neutered this bill and it now fails to deliver the transformational change that is needed. This bill will produce nowhere near the emissions reductions that are needed to solve global warming, andastonishinglyit will eliminate existing EPA authority to fight pollution from coal-fired power plants. It will not put us on the path to a clean energy future, but it will lock us into a system that rewards polluters with massive giveaways and can be gamed by Wall Street; it is therefore likely to empower entrenched interests that stand in the way of progress. Despite the best efforts of environmentalist Reps. Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, the sad reality is that the House of Representatives remains so corrupted by special interests and special interest cronieslike Reps. Rick Boucher and Collin Petersonthat it is thwarting the will of the American people. Americans have indicated time and again that they support clean energy and want to protect our climate, and President Obama was elected on a promise to bring transformational change to this country, including a solution to global warming. Unfortunately, the President failed to boldly advocate such change as this bill moved through the House. He must be more vocal as this issue is debated in the Senate. With the future at stake, the Senate must produce a stronger bill. ### Friends of the Earth (www.foe.org) is the U.S. voice of the worlds largest grassroots environmental network, with member groups in 77 countries. Since 1969, Friends of the Earth has been at the forefront of high-profile efforts to create a more healthy, just world.