[GreenYes] HELP - ACTION Federal Energy Leg is moving Make a call today -- Keep the energy bill clean!

["Ann Schneider" <schneiderann@no.address>]

Hi Environmental Activists:

 

Please forward to all your networks. 

 

The Sierra Club believes that a Federal Energy Bill will pass out of Congress in the next couple of weeks.  Your action now can ensure that it is a progressive energy act.

 

This is an urgent request that you call both your Federal Senators and ask them to remove language that would include waste-to-energy as a renewable resource under the federal renewable energy standard (RES).

 

If you are from the following state it is even more important but we should all know that at least 20 Democratic Senators are in favor of including WtE as an RES so even if you aren't from one of these states, call your Senators and ask them to keep WtE out. Ask them to talk to Senators from both sides of the aisles about why they should keep WtE from the RES.  And for them to vote in favor of the refined (ooopss) energy legislation.      Key states:  CT, FL, IN, MI, NY, PA, VA    and the following states exclude MSW from state standards. CO, DE, MA, MN, NH, NM, NY, OR, RI, TX, WA or WI.

 

The Sierra Club's position on WtE can be found at this website and btw, the Club does not support  the incineration of garbage.  USPIRGs fact sheet can also be found from the Sierra Club website.  Find relevant MSW factsheets at www.sierraclub.org/flip/facts .

 

Contact Sierra Club staff member, Allison Forbes if you need more information. Allison.Forbes@no.address

 

Ann Schneider

Chair, Zero Waste Committee

Environmental Quality Strategy Team

Sierra Club

Ann.Schneider@no.address

Please make a call. Ask local and state leaders to do the same. Find your Senator here: www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

KEEP THE ENERGY BILL CLEAN!
Ask your Senator to help pass the renewable electricity standard to require electric utililities to invest in renewable resources like sun, wind, geothermal and biomass power and to raise fuel economy standards to 35 mpg by 2020. Tell him/her that you oppose incentives for municipal solid waste (MSW), nuclear energy and liquid coal.

Clean Energy Bill Talking Points

• We can put our country on the path to a clean energy future. Congress must pass an energy bill that raises fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon and requires utilities to generate 15 percent of our electricity from renewable energy sources.

• It is essential that Congress keep the energy bill clean by excluding nuclear, liquid coal, and municipal solid waste incineration from counting towards a federal renewable electricity standard (RES) and by not spending tax dollars on dirty sources of energy that will funnel funds away from clean, efficient, renewable energy sources.

• Nuclear: Please remove language from the energy bill that would direct billions of tax-generated dollars toward supporting nuclear power expansion and loan guarantees.

• Liquid Coal: Please oppose any efforts to jumpstart a new massively polluting liquid coal industry.

• Municipal Solid Waste: Please oppose language that would include municipal solid waste as a source of renewable electricity.

• Biofuels: Any policy requiring an increase in biofuels production must protect our air, land, forests, water, wildlife habitat and public health, and must establish a stringent carbon reduction standard for advanced biofuels.

Sample Phone Script - MSW   Key states:  CT, FL, IN, MI, NY, PA, VA
Hi. This is [NAME] from [town/city]. I am calling about the energy bill.

I am calling to ask Senator [NAME] to help pass a CLEAN energy bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and electric utilitites!

I don't think municipal solid waste (MSW) should count towards the renewable electricity standard (RES) which requires electric utilities to invest in renewable energy.

Using wind, sun, biomass and other renewable resources for electricity will help us reduce global warming pollution. It is more efficient to recycle municipal solid waste than to incinerate it and the incineration process releases harmful pollutants including dioxins and mercury and greenhouse gases.

[Add this talking point to your script if you are in CO, DE, MA, MN, NH, NM, NY, OR, RI, TX, WA or WI. These states exclude MSW from their state standards.]  [OUR STATE's] RES doesn't count MSW and neither should the federal RES!


Allison Forbes
National Conservation Organizer
Sierra Club Global Warming and Energy Program
(202) 548-6583

Allison.Forbes@no.address