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Green legislation has passed the House! Read this Tip of the Week to see the pros, cons, and next steps in this legislation.
I’m excited to share that I completed the first half of my book last week! An exciting milestone to be sure. The book is on target to be available in February, 2010.
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Tip of the Week: Update and Next Steps: American Energy and Climate Act
A little more than a month ago I wrote an article about The American Clean Energy & Security Act - The Good, Bad and Ugly when the bill passed through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In that article I described the up side and the down side of the bill, along with some of the reasons environmentalists felt the bill was too weak to make a dent in our greenhouse gas emissions.
This week, on Friday, June 26th, the American Clean Energy & Security Act was passed by the House of Representatives. Some are calling it a historic vote on climate change policy, while others are appalled with the quality of the bill. And these are the people who are FOR climate change policy!
What Happened
The House vote was 219 FOR and 212 AGAINST the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.
- Forty-four Democrats voted AGAINST the Act – several Representatives fell into this category because they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a bill that had been weakened by compromises.
- Eight Republicans voted FOR the Act.
Several key features of this bill include a cap and trade system to reduce 2005 greenhouse gas emissions by 17% by 2020 and 83% by 2050, a Renewable Energy Portfolio to require utilities to provide 20% of their electricity through renewable energy sources by 2020, and other provisions for clean technology and more efficient building standards.
A number of details in the bill were modified (read weakened) in the wee hours of Friday morning which meant that many of the House members had not had an opportunity to read the entire 300 page amendment prior to the vote. In fact, there was a bit of a scuffle on the floor of the House during the final debate about whether there even was a final version available to Representatives.
According to an email I received from MoveOn, their efforts, along with those of other environmental/political groups, also helped strengthen the bill in the final hours by including:
- “Programs to increase the federal government's use of renewable energy;
- Significant new funding for green manufacturing, renewable energy development, and worker training for green jobs; and
- New investments in money-saving energy efficiency programs for homes and businesses."
What’s Next?
Now that the House has passed their version of the bill, the Senate will take their turn at mulling over the issues and producing a Senate bill. Senator Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, has said that the Senate will address the clean energy and security issues in September.
Then What?
Assuming a bill gets through the appropriate Senate committee and passes in a full Senate vote (no guarantees at this point), then a conference of Representatives and Senators will work together to come up with the final version that must then be voted on by the House and the Senate before it can be signed into law by the President.
What Does This Mean?
As you can see, the country has a ways to go before this legislation become law. In fact, there is no assurance at this point that it will become law, or if we do have a law, what that law will look like.
The good news is that the House vote keeps the legislative process moving forward.
Making progress now is helpful as the world ramps up for the Copenhagen Summit on climate change in December. It’s important that we, as a largest carbon emitter worldwide, demonstrate that we are willing and ready to change our ways. The Copenhagen Summit is a follow up to the Kyoto Treaty, which the United States signed but never ratified. The world is watching closely to see how we are handling this issue.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
To fully understand the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, however, you must dig a little deeper to understand the nuances. The devil is in the details as they say.
Environmentalists, environmental groups, politicians, and other parties committed to combating climate change generally fall into two camps when it comes to this bill. Two well known players illustrate these two positions.
- One of the most vocal Democrats to vote NO on the bill was Ohio Representative Kucinich. Although he’s strongly in favor of addressing climate change, he opposed the bill because he felt it no longer addressed the problem. If you’d like to understand his point of view, read the statement he made after the vote.
- Carl Pope, the head of Sierra Club, felt that moving the bill through the House and onto the Senate was a crucial victory even though he too believes the bill is not worded as strongly it should be. From his point of view we have a window of opportunity to get climate change legislation in place. Now is the time to act.
Ironically, when liberal Democrats wouldn’t commit to voting for the bill, they may have forced the authors of the bill to make compromises with more centrist representatives from rural and manufacturing states which further diluted the power of the bill.
The Opposition
Most of the representatives who opposed the bill aren’t focusing on the impact that business as usual is having on our planet. They don’t even seem to be aware that it’s a problem. Instead they are focused on the costs, the perceived taxes, and the impact on jobs in the existing pollution-based economy. And, according to some reports, they make their points by relying on outdated/skewed data that has been debunked by reputable, independent researchers. (See the PEW Center documents in the next section.)
Carl Pope notes that many members of Congress are still seeing energy as a regional issue rather than a national issue. By staying focused on their own region, and the natural resources available in their own regions, they aren’t seeing the big picture: that the United States must create a new energy economy using domestic energy sources.
Interesting Analysis by Others
The PEW Center on Global Climate Change has conducted independent research on a number of issues associated with the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Although their findings are too detailed to include here, you may want to refer to these short, to-the-point memos to strengthen your understanding of the issues at the heart of the bill.
In a New York Times Op-Ed piece, Paul Krugman noted that many of those who voted against the bill don’t believe our behavior has impacted the state of the planet. They don’t believe climate scientists. They don’t believe data that indicates that temperatures are rising and are now expected to rise 9 degrees by 2100 instead of the 4 degrees originally predicted. Because these naysayers don’t like the politics of climate change they are denying it’s a problem worth thinking about, talking about, studying, or voting for. As Krugman notes, ignoring the real problem puts future generations at risk. Although you have to register on the New York Times website to read this article, I highly recommend it.
My Two Cents
In all that I have read, seen and heard, I have not heard anyone talking about the costs we are going to face if we do not turn this “ocean liner” around. Sure, people are talking about the costs we will each feel if this bill goes through…anywhere from the millions in “taxes” the Republicans talk about, to the cost of a postage stamp a day that others talk about.
But no one is putting into financial terms what NOT ACTING will cost us all.
The longer we wait to get started,
- The more expensive it is going to be.
- The more it will negatively impact our way of life.
- The more people will be displaced from their lands and homes.
- The more irreparable damage we inflict on the planet.
The issues at hand are not just for the sake of the environment…they are for our sake as well.
Even if you’ve never been an activist before, please consider becoming one on this issue! Your green career and your lifestyle may depend on it! As these issues develop, we will continue to keep you informed.
Copyright © 2009 Transition Dynamics Enterprises, Inc.
Green Career Central Blog:
Follow the Green Money: This week’s green money trail points to the Department of Energy, a new research and development center for manufacturing processes in Michigan, and a retrofitting project for a signature building in Chicago. Check out the details!
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Green Career CentralTM is a virtual career center for motivated professionals who are ready to find a green career that fully expresses their passions, skills, values, and talents.
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