WASHINGTON—Greenpeace Global Warming Campaign Director
Steven Biel today released the following statement on the economic stimulus
package proposed by the House leadership and Obama administration:
“With over $50 billion in new investments for clean energy,
the economic stimulus package represents an important down payment on America’s
clean energy future. We congratulate the Obama administration and House
leadership for their efforts and urge members of Congress to pass the bill.
“This economic stimulus package represents a significant
victory for the environment. President-Obama promised change we can believe in,
and that’s exactly what this is.”
Highlights of the proposal include:
·$11 billion for development of a modern “Smart
Grid” that will be needed to move clean, renewable energy across the country
and end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels.
·Extension of the renewable energy production tax
credit.
·$6.7 billion for improving the energy efficiency
of federal buildings.
·$6.2 billion for weatherization of the homes of
low-income families.
“The proposal isn’t perfect. Specifically, Greenpeace urges
Congress to remove the $2.4 billion in funding for the carbon capture and
sequestration, a technology that has received billions in public subsidies and
has yet to produce any results whatsoever.Rather than being squandered on 1 gigawatt of purely hypothetical power
in the distant future, those funds would be better spent building 1.2 gigawatts
of real, clean wind energy today.Greenpeace also urges Congress to put greater emphasis on public
transportation and repairing our existing roads and bridges and less for new
construction.We should use this
stimulus not just to fix the problems of yesterday, but to build the America of
tomorrow.
“Also, while the issue is not explicitly addressed in the
proposal, we urge Congress and President Obama to reject calls to waive
enforcement of the National Environmental Policy Act for stimulus projects.”
Vision, video, photos, report information
CONTACTS: Mike Crocker, Media Officer Greenpeace USA, 202-215-8989; Steven Biel, Greenpeace Global Warming Campaign Director, 202-319-2468.
