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From: Allison.Forbes@sierraclub.org [mailto:Allison.Forbes@sierraclub.org] Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 7:41 PM To: Allison.Forbes@sierraclub.org Subject: [energy activists] Energy and Global Warming goals: November-December
Energy and Global Warming Sierra Club focus for November and December
Our best chance to legislate global warming emission reductions this year is to help get the strongest provisions in the House and Senate energy bills enacted and signed into law. Achieving this goal will require our strongest efforts to turn votes and engage public opinion in support of passing a strong final energy bill.
Passing a strong final energy bill could reduce global warming emissions almost 20 percent by 2030. Because the energy bill is moving quickly through Congress on a short time scale, and is very near the finish line, passing this bill requires our immediate focused attention.
To reduce global warming emissions 80 percent by 2050, Congress will also need to enact a cap on carbon. On November 1, the Lieberman-Warner cap-and-trade bill (America's Climate Security Act, S. 2191) passed in Senate subcommittee by a vote of 4-3 and is headed to full committee hearings with a final markup tentatively scheduled for November 15. National staff are working with allies and champions on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee to develop a strategy for strengthening S. 2191. Please see the attached statement from Carl Pope, talking points on requested improvements, and our ad outlining "The Seven Principles of a New Energy Policy."
Most environmental groups concur that S. 2191 needs to be strengthened, but there is a wide range of opinion on how to treat the bill as it moves to full committee. Sierra Club's goal is to keep our message encouraging -- recognizing the progress -- while clearly calling for strengthening changes to the bill.
The most effective thing that you can do now to influence the EPW committee process is to increase the number of co-sponsors on the Sanders-Boxer Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act (S. 309) to show support for science-based emission reduction targets.
Our Flip the Switch for Clean Energy campaign to get an energy bill across the finish line with the strongest House- and Senate-passed provisions is based at www.sierraclub.org/flip
Allison Forbes National Conservation Organizer Sierra Club Global Warming and Energy Program (202) 548-6583