Mayors Urge Senate to Pass Climate Security Act
WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
The nations mayors are putting forth their full support behind Senate
Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxers revised version of the
pending Climate Security Act (S.2191), which will enable cities and the
country to make systematic reductions nationwide in U.S. greenhouse gas
emissions.
We commend Chairman Barbara Boxer for her leadership and commitment to this
issue, said Conference President Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer. We urge
the Senate to pass this crucial piece of legislation that will put us on a
path to continue to confront Americas climate challenge.
For more than a year, the Conferences top legislative priority is the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. Through this
funding commitment to the Block Grant program, which the pending Senate
Climate bill provides, mayors will be further enabled to deliver systematic
emission reductions through significantly increased energy efficiency and
renewable energy development programs in their communities.
This is a critical time for our nation as we continue to seek solutions for
our growing energy crisis and to confront fully the growing global climate
change challenge, said Conference Executive Director and CEO Tom Cochran.
This new initiative will not only help transform Americas cities, but is a
critical part of any successful national effort to reduce carbon emissions.
I also commend New Jersey Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez from my
home state, who worked with Chairman Boxer, for their efforts to ensure a
strong federal commitment to the Block Grant program, added Palmer.
Mayors, through their work over the years, have been leaders on initiatives
to improve the environment, with increased efforts focused on climate
protection. To date, more than 850 Mayors, representing more than 80 million
Americans, have signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection
Agreement, a shared demonstration of our promise to take daily action to
protect our nation and the planet. Each mayor who has signed this agreement
pledges to reduce their citys greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below
1990 levels by 2012 (in line with the Kyoto protocol).
SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors
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