Clean Water Action President John De Cock Statement on President's Planned Climate Speech

Today's Rose Garden climate speech by President Bush is just the latest attempt to run out the clock on global warming without taking meaningful action. The President's failure today to endorse mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions means he has left this challenge for the next President and Congress.

President Bush is correct today in identifying the need to deal with carbon emissions generally, and emissions from coal plants in particular. But the President largely remains where he was eight years ago when he pledged to restrict carbon dioxide from coal plants, and instead caved into big energy companies and did nothing.

For Immediate Release
March 31, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC--Today's draft energy and climate legislation from the Energy and Commerce Committee is a strong starting point for curbing global warming and transforming our energy economy.

Addressing our climate crisis is an environmental issue, but it is also the most important economic issue of our time. It is a powerful public health issue. It is, for this generation, the most important moral issue we face.

December 11,2009

Governor Patrick’s decision to retain the moratorium against new waste incineration is the right decision. He has committed the state to green solutions that protect public health, promote energy and resource conservation, and create green jobs. Recycling creates more jobs and saves more energy by far than waste incineration

Congress revisits the Clean Water Act

by Darrell Gerber and Myrna Poticha

originally published in The Denver Post, April 15, 2008

As spring's welcome beauty flows to summer's sun, their climate
cousins flood, drought and storms will likely be paying us a call as
well. So whether you fish, swim or just drink it, April is a good time
to be thinking about water and that's what the U.S. Congress is doing.

October 6, 2009

Thank you for coming. The NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF) is a state chapter of Clean Water Action which is based in Washington DC. The Vote Environment Committee (VEC) is the political arm of NJEF.

Act Now To Fund Jobs That Save Lives

Legislation to create jobs is moving forward in Congress, and environmental health advocates have a great opportunity to significantly increase the funding to reduce diesel emissions. The request for $1 billion would potentially save or generate 19,000 jobs and increase economic output by over $3 billion.

It is a great opportunity to protect public health, curb greenhouse gases and otherwise protect the environment while putting Americans to work and boosting the economy. Please contact your House representative and two Senators to urge them to support $1 billion in the jobs package to reduce diesel emissions today. 

January 11, 2010

The Honorable Harry Reid
Senate Majority Leader
522 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

We are writing as a broad-based group of environmental, health and industry organizations to urge you to include $1 billion for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005 ("DERA") in the anticipated jobs package.

After months of intense debate, Congress passed a significant piece of energy legislation in December 2007. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 takes an important step forward by mandating significant increases in vehicle fuel economy standards for the first time in a generation. Improved fuel economy will lower consumer costs, reduce our dependence on oil and significantly reduce global warming pollution.

October 6, 2009

I believe environmental stewardship should be a concern for all of us - not owned by any one political party.

I voted to endorse our Governor in 2005; but he has been hugely disappointing - breaking too many environmental promises and failing to effectively lead. On many levels, I am sorry I cannot support his reelection.

This is not an easy position for us - it is upsetting to many of our traditional constituencies. Nevertheless, Mr. Christie is the best choice for those concerned about environmental progress.

President Obama was right to emphasize the job creation potential and economic stakes for America's leadership on global warming solutions in his State of the Union address this week.

Strategic use of federal stimulus monies is one of the best ways to jump-start the nation's transition to a clean energy economy. Planned investments in high speed rail, new energy efficiency technologies, clean energy start-ups and entrepreneurs can deliver the right combination of near term and longer range benefits.

By re-asserting the imperative for U.S. action and leadership on global warming, the President signaled the urgency and importance of Senate action to complete work on comprehensive energy and global warming legislation begun by the House.

Washington, DC - Clean Water Action today praised President-elect Obama's proposed economic reinvestment plan as providing a new vision for America's energy future.

"The President-elect's plan is a dramatic departure from the failed policies of the past eight years that got us into this economic mess and offers the opportunity to kick-start the economy and create millions of good American jobs that move us to a clean energy future," said John DeCock, Clean Water Action President.    "We need to look at the details of the plan in depth, but based on what President-elect Obama outlined today we are extremely pleased with the overall direction the plan takes to repower, refuel and rebuild America.