CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT AMENDMENTS TO THE VARIOUS ENERGY BILLS NOW IN THE SENATE
March 7, 2002
From Deling Wang, co-chair of UNCSD/WSSD NGO Energy & Climate Caucus:
Some alerts have gone out urging support for the Daschle-Bingaman bill. There are certainly positive things in the bill, especially the increase in fuel efficiency standards and protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). But there are also some significant problems with this bill. See the critique by Public Citizen and note especially their concerns about the big giveaways in the bill to unsustainable forms of energy such as coal, oil, and nuclear.
Also, most environmentalists probably would not share the happiness of the South Dakota ethanol industry (see press release at ethanol.org) about the fact that Senator Daschle's bill would require that 5 billion gallons of ethanol be used by 2012, thus creating a market for 1.8 billion bushels of corn, compared to the 670 million bushels used this year. This almost three-fold increase, we assume, would be grown by the same conventional means, including the unsustainable production and use of tremendous amounts of petrochemical-based fertilizers, pesticides, etc., to say nothing about the resultant/concurrent water and air pollution and, of course, negative impacts upon climate from the much increased burning of fossil fuels.
Unfortunately, none of above is idle speculation, but borne out by Senator Daschle and Bingaman's own statements. See the pieces on their websites:
http://www.senate.gov/~daschle/front_022602.html
http://www.senate.gov/~bingaman/
(Click on "Senate Begins Debate on Bingaman Energy Plan")
Those who would like to see the whole bill can find it on Bingaman's
website:
http://www.senate.gov/~bingaman/
(Click on "Daschle Bingaman Energy Bill')
Anyways, these two concerns, the continued subsidies to fossil fuels
and the excessive promotion of ethanol, must be addressed in letters
to other Senators. In addition, there needs to be a must be a much stronger
push for energy conservation. ACEEE estimates that, while about 3 times
better than the House bill (not saying much), still the Daschle-Bingaman
proposed would reduce U.S. energy use by only about 72 quads over the
2002-2020 period, a reduction of about 3.3 percent of the total projected
consumption over this period. See:
http://www.aceee.org/press/0202daschle.htm
Congress really needs to mandate much stronger sustainable design and production standards for all industrial, commercial, and consumer buildings, equipment, machinery, and products, and in all economic sectors. This would save even more energy than the vehicle fuel efficiency standards.
By all accounts, the vehicle fuel efficiency standards in the bill are still much too low compared to what is doable without any or much additional costs - other studies suggest at least 40 mpg or more.
Finally, sustainable renewables (solar, wind, small scale biomass, mini and micro scale hydro, etc.) need to be promoted much more than what is in this bill. Fossil fuels have been subsidized by the government since the 1920's, nuclear energy since the 1940's. What have these renewables received - very little, in comparison, almost nothing. Has solar received even one billion dollars over the last twenty years? Yet, fossil fuels, nuclear, and large scale hydropower continues to receive annual direct economic subsidies, including tax incentives, on the order of $30 billion PER YEAR. And this figure does not include the incredibly huge indirect subsidies, e.g., pipelines running over free public lands; free or low cost parking spots on public streets; etc., etc.
Still, just taking into account direct subsidies, truly leveling the
playing field and create a more "free market" system, means
that sustainable renewables would now need to be subsidised to the tune
of about two trillion dollars! And we can go on from there with no subsidies
to any energy industry. Perhaps everyone needs to point THAT out to
their Senators. For some current examples of these continual government
boondoggles for unsustainable forms of energy, see the website of Friends
of the Earth US for their 2002 Green Scissors press release and report:
http://www.foe.org/act/gs2002pr.html
Some have speculated that with equitable subsidy support by the US government, even the most expensive kinds of solar and wave energy, or fuel cells run on sustainable renewables, much less wind, would probably be cheaper than even coal very quickly. (And, also, does the ordinary person understand how expensive "clean coal" technologies are?)
In summary, I suggest that people push for the following amendments to the Daschle-Bingaman and other bills:
1. In light of all the subsidies they have already received over the last 50 years, eliminate all present and further government incentives that support fossil fuels, nuclear energy and large hydropower. The only exception should be consumer subsidies that are specifically targeted to low-income groups.
2. Re-direct government energy incentives and funding to conservation and renewables such as solar and wind energy.
3. Mandate much stronger national sustainable design and production standards for all industrial, commercial, and consumer buildings, equipment, machinery, and products, and in all economic sectors.
4. Mandate vehicle fuel efficiency standards of 40-50 mpg by 2010.
5. Provide incentives toward the goal of solar/wind energy as 20% of the portfolio mix of energy by the year 2020.
Note: While the Kerry-Hollings bill is good, especially in protecting ANWR and setting stronger fuel effiency standards, those standards really can be even stronger, and by earlier dates, as noted above under #4. Also, while the Jeffords renewable energy bill is better than anything presently out there, any legislation to increase the share in the energy mix of "renewables" should not include large hydropower nor "fuels" such as ethanol, which are not sustainable, and both of which have already been tremendously subsidized by the US government for many years.
Contacting Congress and the Administration
You can find the website addresses, emails and other contact information
for all 100 Senators at:
http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
You can also just call the US Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
An easy way to write to members of the House:
http://www.house.gov/writerep
President and Vice President Contact Info:
White House Comment Line - (202) 456-1111
White House Fax Line - (202) 456-2461
President George W. Bush's e-mail - president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Dick Cheney's e-mail - vice-president@whitehouse.gov
Thank you,
Deling
Deling Wang
NGO Energy & Climate Caucus
Email: deling@igc.org
