June 11th, 2009 by Jess

The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee several weeks ago, is moving quickly towards a vote on the House floor.  On Wednesday, Chairmen Henry Waxman and  Edward Markey– architects and champions of ACES – spoke with activists on a conference call organized by 1Sky.

Their message was loud and clear.

If ACES is to pass, they need our help.  In their words, a “hurricane” of activism is needed in the next two weeks.  TWO WEEKS, people.

If you have ever felt like your politicians don’t listen…

If you feel like the world’s problems are too many and too huge…

If you have ever felt like there was nothing you could do to make a difference…

Now is your chance. They asked for your help.  And over the next two weeks, Congress will be listening.  Please make your voices heard.  It only takes five minutes.

We’ve compiled a list of automatically generated letters to Congress.  In most cases, you fill in your contact information, and the source site will send your letter to the correct representative.  You can edit the letters, or just send them as is.

If you know of a letter that is not listed, please post in the comments and we will add it to the list.  Check back regularly to send letters to Congress via our most recent additions!  New letters will be added in the order received, so you can just pick up where you left off.

Use the button at the bottom of the post to share this with everyone you know.  It’s time to be heard.

Don’t put this off.  Don’t navigate away.  Don’t save this for later.

We only have two weeks.

American Clean Energy and Security Act Letters

1Sky Representative Letter

1Sky Letter to Speaker Pelosi

Audubon Action Center Letter to Congress

Endangered Species Coalition Letter to Congress

Environmental Defense Action Fund Letter to Congress

Green For All Letter on Green Jobs

League of Conservation Voters Letter to Congress

National Wildlife Federation Letter to Congress

National Wildlife Federation Care2 Petition

Power Shift 09 Letter to President Obama and Congress

Progressive Secretary.org to Executive and Congress

Save Our Environment.org Letter to Congress

Union of Concerned Scientists Care2 Petition

The Wilderness Society Letter to Congress

None of these letters quite what you wanted to say?  Write your own letter and send it to your Representative.

ACES, american climate and security act, climate change, congress, letter to congress, Waxman-Markey

May 22nd, 2009 by Jess

Today, in line with Speaker Pelosi’s promise to have climate change legislation ready for discussion by Memorial Day, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed H.R. 2454, previously known as the Waxman-Markey climate change bill, now known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).

We did a brief summary of our likes and dislikes of the original draft discussion bill.  That was a long time ago in legislative terms!  But today, no normative statements – just some highlights from the summary of the bill.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act:

• Requires retail electric companies to source a percentage of their load from renewable sources, beginning at 6% in 2012 and gradually rising to 20% in 2020.  A portion of this requirement may be met with efficiency savings.
• Provides incentive programs for smaller renewable projects, such as rooftop solar, which are built into the electricity credit system.
• Includes a bunch of stuff on carbon capture and sequestration – since there is currently not a deployable technology, most of this section is geared towards figuring out how to make CCS deployable.  Investigation of state geological protections, creation of an incentive program for commercially deployable CCS, etc.
• Establishes technology standards for coal power plants built after 2020.
• Provides incentives for large-scale electric transportation programs, development of electric vehicles, development of and integration with smart-grid infrastructure.
• Provides incentives for a variety of energy efficiency projects across various sectors.
• Addresses adaptation measures.
• Outlines tons of funding for research.

As far as the climate change/emissions section, we are looking at a cap and trade system that allows offsets.  Distribution will be by both allocation and auction, with a decreasing % of allowances allocated each year.  Reduction targets are from 2005 levels – 97% by 2012, 80% by 2020, 58% by 2030, and 17% by 2020.

The bill also includes an impressive worker adjustment assistance section, with substantial support for workers displaced as a result of the new energy policy and provisions protecting low-income families. 

All in all, not bad.  It’s long, it’s comprehensive, and I’m sure Congress will have lots to fight about.  But isn’t that what Congress does best?

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