The tragic events of Sept. 11 have so absorbed our attention that we risk ignoring other pressing problems. One such important issue is the national energy plan being considered by the Senate. When the Senate takes up energy policy in the coming weeks, Sens. Boxer and Feinstein should stand up for clean energy solutions and oppose weakening protections for our environment and public lands.
Unfortunately, the energy plan passed by the House of Representatives last August does nothing to protect consumers or solve our current energy challenges.
Instead, the bill would give away $27 billion in taxpayer subsidies and tax breaks to the fossil fuel, auto, and nuclear industries and open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency is moving to weaken or even eliminate a key element of the Clean Air Act known as the New Source Review, which requires old and dirty power plants to meet modern pollution standards.
Sen. Boxer and Sen. Feinstein should instead support energy policies that promote clean, renewable energy and increased energy efficiency and the EPA should reject proposals to weaken enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
By requiring SUVs to meet the same fuel economy standards as cars, we could save more than twice as much oil as would ever come from the Arctic Refuge.
Recommended for you
By enforcing the Clean Air Act on our nation's old and dirty power plants, we could eliminate enough air pollution to prevent 1,280 asthma attacks and 15 emergency room visits in California. We need clean energy solutions, not more pollution.
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO
personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who
make comments. Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. Don't threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Anyone violating these rules will be issued a
warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be
revoked.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.