Economic Recovery Package Gives Big Boost to Clean Energy Economy
Via Environment Massachusetts:
Environment Massachusetts praised the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” the economic recovery bill working its way through the U.S. House of Representatives this week, as making bold investments in clean energy and energy efficiency. The group urged Congress to pass the package and capture an enormous opportunity to prevent pollution, save oil, and create more jobs by investing more in mass transit and greener transportation.
“Clean energy is job number one for protecting the environment and getting America back to work,” said Environment Massachusetts Field Organizer Winston Vaughan. “This economic recovery package will deliver more secure energy in the long term; less global warming pollution; fewer asthma attacks from air pollution; more clean lakes and rivers for drinking water, swimming and fishing, and more good jobs right here in Massachusetts.”
The draft bill includes at least $37.8 billion for energy efficiency, $27.8 billion for renewable energy and $11.6 billion for public transit and clean transportation. The following specific proposals were lauded by Environment Massachusetts:
- extending the clean energy production tax credits and making them “recession proof;”
- investing $6 billion in efficiency and conservation renovations in federal buildings;
- investing $6.2 billion to help low income families weatherize their homes; and
- providing $6.9 billion in community block grants to fund state- and city-run efficiency programs.
While the group supports the bill’s funding for more efficient buses and other pressing transit improvements, Environment Massachusetts is concerned that three-quarters of the bill’s transportation funding is for highway infrastructure. With no provision ensuring that funding will be used to repair existing infrastructure rather than to build new roads, this funding would increase global warming pollution and oil consumption. Only $10 billion is devoted to much-needed mass transit and rail improvements that will reduce pollution, reduce our nation’s reliance on oil, and create more jobs than investing in new highways.
Environment Massachusetts has called for $59 billion to expand transit capacity to meet rapidly growing demand and reduce the environmental cost of passenger car travel. According to the group’s analysis, such investment would create 1.5 million new jobs and provide environmental benefits equivalent to taking one million cars off the road each year.
“Clean energy and green investment could be the workhorse of America’s economic recovery. But to fully realize that potential, Congress should do much more for public transportation,” continued Vaughan. “We urge more funding for ready-to-go transit and green transportation projects that would cut more pollution, save more oil, create more jobs, and deliver the economic boost the country needs.”
Environment Massachusetts released a report last week outlining investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, and public transportation that when fully implemented could cut America’s annual global warming pollution by 10 percent, provide the power equivalent of 170 coal power plants, and expand public transit capacity by 10 percent per year – while creating three million jobs.
Environment Massachusetts applauded funding for efficiency and renewable energy in the bill. However, the group warns that, as the bill stands, Big Oil, the road-builders and other polluting interests are too dominant in the transportation component of the economic recovery package.
“This proposal is a good start and we are calling on Congress to keep it clean and make it even greener. By making clean energy and green infrastructure investments a cornerstone of any economic recovery package, we can make a down payment on solving global warming and ensure a cleaner, safer, stronger America,” concluded Vaughan.
Environment Massachusetts’s report with recovery recommendations, Clean Energy, Bright Future, is available at http://www.environmentmassachusetts.org/reports.