| SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NETWORK 8606 Greenwood Avenue, #2; Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-588-4741; sustainable-energy-network@hotmail.com
News Release 100+ ORGANIZATIONS, ACTIVISTS TELL CONGRESS - IT IS TIME TO ENACT A FEE ON THE CARBON CONTENT OF FUELS AS PART OF THE MIX OF STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Contact: Ken Bossong (301-588-4741; 202-293-2898, x.201)
WASHINGTON DC -- In a letter delivered today to key Members and committees of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, more than 100 businesses, organizations, and individual activists called upon Congress to support a fee on the carbon content of fuels as part of the broader mix of strategies for addressing climate change. Stressing the need "to employ a broad range of strategies to significantly reduce total energy use and to encourage the rapidly expanded use of non-fossil and non-nuclear renewable sources of energy," the letter argued that "some form of user fee based on the carbon content of fuels is [also] essential." Furthermore, "a carbon fee is arguably the most transparent, universal, equitable, understandable, and immediate way to internalize the true environmental cost of consuming the fossil fuels that contribute to climate change." Therefore, "we believe that some form of carbon fee must be made a key element of a wider strategy for addressing climate change and it should be among the measures considered and enacted by the U.S. Congress in the very near term." To address potentially adverse impacts on lower-income citizens, the signers on the letter added that a carbon fee "should be accompanied by tax-shifting – and possibly revenue-neutral - offsets such as reductions in payroll or other taxes, larger tax credits for lower-income citizens, or increases in programs such as weatherization and mass transit that directly assist citizens to reduce their total energy use." The full text of the letter and list of signers follows. A copy of the letter and list of signers may be requested by sending an e-mail to sustainable-energy-network@hotmail.com. # # # # # # # The Sustainable Energy Network is a nationwide network of almost 400 organizations, businesses, and individual activists promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency as solutions to climate change and dependence on energy imports and nuclear power. ============================= ============================= SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NETWORK 8606 Greenwood Avenue, #2; Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-588-4741; sustainable-energy-network@hotmail.com
IT IS TIME TO ENACT A FEE ON THE CARBON CONTENT OF FUELS AS PART OF THE MIX OF STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
March 20, 2007 Members U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20510/20515 Attn: Climate Change, Energy, or Environmental Policy Staff Person Dear Senator/Representative: We, the undersigned business, environmental, consumer, faith-based, energy policy, and other organizations and individuals are writing to urge the U.S. Congress to enact some form of fee on the carbon content of fuels as part of a larger mix of strategies for addressing climate change. Given the immense scope and immediacy of the problem of global climate change, it is necessary to employ a broad range of strategies to significantly reduce total energy use and to encourage the rapidly expanded use of non-fossil and non-nuclear renewable sources of energy. The mix of policies should include much tighter mandatory efficiency standards for vehicles, appliances, lighting, buildings, electricity generation, and industrial processes as well as the required use of renewable energy for electricity, transportation fuels, and heating and cooling. Greatly increased tax incentives to encourage the use of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies as well as much higher levels of funding for research, development, and – particularly – procurement and deployment of sustainable energy technologies are also needed. In addition, however, some form of user fee based on the carbon content of fuels is essential. A carbon fee is arguably the most transparent, universal, equitable, understandable, and immediate way to internalize the true environmental cost of consuming the fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. Such a fee is also relatively easy to administer and makes the best use of the marketplace to encourage a rapid shift in energy use away from coal, oil, and gas towards more energy-efficient and/or renewable energy sources. We recognize the concern that such a fee could, initially, pose some hardship for lower-income consumers and therefore believe that it should be accompanied by tax-shifting – and possibly revenue-neutral - offsets such as reductions in payroll or other taxes, larger tax credits for lower-income citizens, or increases in programs such as weatherization and mass transit that directly assist citizens to reduce their total energy use. Thoughtfully crafted offsets could actually produce net benefits for recipients. In addition, a portion of a carbon fee could be earmarked for a dedicated fund to invest in, and encourage, expanded use of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies or for other important social purposes such as deficit reduction. However designed, though, we believe that some form of carbon fee must be made a key element of a wider strategy for addressing climate change and it should be among the measures considered and enacted by the U.S. Congress in the very near term. We appreciate your consideration of these views and look forward to working with you on this most important issue.
Sincerely, (Organizational Signers – Listed by Organization Name)Rochelle Becker, Executive Director Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility San Luis Obispo, CA Bryn Richard Blue Trillium (Landscape Architecture - Sustainable Design) Morton, PA Avram Friedman The Canary Coalition Sylva, NC Elizabeth C. Battocletti The Carmel Group, LLC Reston, VA W. Donald Hudson, Jr. The Chewonki Foundation Wiscasset, ME Chris Fried Chris Fried Solar Vineyard Haven, MA Deb Katz Citizens Awareness Network Shelburne Falls, MA Keith Gunter Citizens' Resistance at Fermi Two Monroe, MI 48161 Raya Ariella, Climate USACampaign Coordinator Climate Crisis Coalition South Lee, MA. Carlos Rymer Coalition for Global Warming Solutions Union City, NJ Michael J. Keegan Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes Monroe, MI George Burmeister, President Colorado Energy Group, Inc. Boulder, CO Tam Hunt, Energy Program Director Community Environmental Council Santa Barbara, CA Nancy Burton, Director Connecticut Coalition Against Millstone Redding Ridge, CT Dean Remboldt, Chair Mary Mitchell Dakota Resource Council Dickinson, ND Valerie Heinonen, o.s.u. Dominican Sisters of Hope Mercy Investment Program Sisters of Mercy Regional Community of Detroit Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk-U.S. Province New York, NY Stephen Brittle Don't Waste Arizona, Inc. Phoenix, AZ Alice Hirt Don't Waste Michigan Holland, MI Al Fritsch Earthhealing, Inc. Ravenna, KY Dan Brook Eco-Eating San Jose, CA Mahlon Aldridge, Vice President Energy Programs Ecology Action Santa Cruz, CA Joel N. Gordes Environmental Energy Solutions West Hartford, CT Stephen Dvorak, P.E.; President GHD, Inc. Chilton, WI Peter Meisen Global Energy Network Institute San Diego, CA William Dunlay Good Energy Engineering Hollis Center, ME Christopher LaForge Great Northern Solar Port Wing, WI Ben Kaufman GreenWorks Realty Seattle, WA Jennifer O. Viereck, Director HOME: Healing Ourselves & Mother Earth Tecopa, CA Lynn M. Laws, Interim Director Iowa Environmental Council Des Moines, IA Michelle Kenyon Brown, Executive Director Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-RENEW) Iowa City, IA Daniel Ziskin, PhD Jews Of The Earth Denver, CO Susan Peterson Gateley Lake Shore Environmental Action Wolcott, NY Paul Gallimore, Director Long Branch Environmental Education Center Leicester, NC Richard Komp PhD, President Maine Solar Energy Association Jonesport, ME Peter Lowenthal Executive Director, MD-DC-VA Solar Energy Industries Association. Bethesda, MD Charlottesville, VA Mark Haim Missourians for Safe Energy Columbia, MO Steve Weinberg, President National Foundry Products, Inc. Philadelphia, PA Judy Treichel Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force Las Vegas, NV David Radcliff New Community Project Elgin, IL Lynne Kurilovitch, Renewable Energy Instructor New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM Bill Holmberg New Uses Council Vienna, VA Christine Donovan, Executive Vice President New York Solar Energy Industries Association Endicott, NY Liz Merry, Executive Director NorCal Solar Energy Association Davis, CA George Crocker, Executive Director North American Water Office Lake Elmo, MN Wells Eddleman North Carolina Citizens Research Group Durham, NC Larry Bell North East Arizona Energy Services Company (NEA-ESCO) Concho, AZ Norman T. Baker, PhD Northstar Nurseries Sequim, WA David A. Kraft, Director Nuclear Energy Information Service Chicago, IL Judi Friedman People’s Action for Clean Energy, Inc. Canton, CT Linda Nicholes Plug in America Anaheim, CA Bruce A Drew, Steering Committee Prairie Island Coalition Minneapolis, MN Qadwi Bey R.A.Energy International, Inc. Cleveland, OH Michael Welch Redwood Alliance Arcata, CA Roy Morrison Roy Morrison & Associates, LLC Warner, NH Rabbi Arthur Waskow The Shalom Center Philadelphia, PA Alan Durning Sightline Institute Seattle, WA Ruth Kuhn, SC Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Corporate Responsibility Committee Mount St. Joseph, OH Sr. Joanne Lamert Sisters of St. Dominic Akron, OH Nancy Seubert, Coordinator of the Justice, Peace and Sustainability Office Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Monroe, MI Jeremy Maxand Snake River Alliance Boise, ID Ned Ryan Doyle Southern Energy & Environment Etowah, NC Scott Sklar The Stella Group, Ltd. Arlington, VA Stuart Magruder, AIA, USGBC Studio Nova A Architects, Inc. Los Angeles, CA Ken Bossong, Executive Director SUN DAY Campaign Takoma Park, MD Rona Fried SustainableBusiness.com Huntington Station, NY Bob Walker Sustainable Energy Resource Group Thetford Center, VT Paul Rosen Sustainable Spaces, Inc. Sebastopol, CA John F Neville Sustainable Systems Consulting President, Sustainable Arizona Sedona, AZ Jo Ann Jansing OSU Ursuline Sisters Leadership Team Louisville, KY John Blair, President Valley Watch, Inc. Evansville, IN Beth Sachs Vermont Energy Investment Corporation Burlington, VT Glenn Cannon, General Manager Waverly Light and Power Waverly, IA Buffalo Bruce, Board Chair Western Nebraska Resources Council' Chadron, NE David Nicholson, President Windhunter Corporation Sun City Center, FL Chris Herman Winter Sun Design Seattle, WA Janet Brandt, Executive Director Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation Madison, WI
(Individual Signers – Listed by Last Name)Sr. Jean Marie Ballard Ferdinand, IN Richard W. Benster Mercer Island, WA Christopher E. Bingham Vashon, WA James M. Corson Seattle, WA Dana Dick Seattle, WA Robert Fairchild Dreyfus, KY Rev. Bonnie Faith-Smith Cambridge, MA Ellen M. Garduno Edmonds, WA Sabodh K. Garg, Ph.D. Del Mar, CA Ted Glick Bloomfield, NJ Peter Harnik Arlington, VA Marie D. Hoff, Ph.D Bismarck, ND Steven H. Johnson Annapolis, MD Evgeny Kolev, Ph.D. Mt. Prospect, IL Edward Kramer Houston, TX Luke Lundemo Jackson, MS Elizabeth C. Moore Lakewood, CO Stephen J. Pew Huntington Beach, CA Cordula Robinson Somerville, MA Ellen Rubinstein Madison, WI Lorna Salzman New York David H. Shepard Coronado, CA Beverly Smith Cottonwood, AZ Jennie Stephens Shrewsbury, MA Mark Wilson Columbus, OH Niels Wolter Madison, WI
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