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Agreement Paves Way for Landmark Energy Legislation Sierra Club Hails Progress Toward Victory on Fuel Economy, Clean Energy
Washington , D.C.-- Late Friday House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the outlines of a final agreement on pending energy legislation. The historic legislation will raise fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020; require 15 percent of our electricity to come from clean, renewable sources like wind, solar, and biomass; mandate a substantial increase in America' s production of homegrown biofuels; and provide billions in funds for clean energy. The House is expected to take up the bill as soon as Wednesday, December 5, with the Senate action to follow. Statement of Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director "We asked Congress to flip the switch on America' s clean energy future by delivering a comprehensive energy bill that both raised fuel economy and greened the grid with renewable energy. As Congress finishes its first year under new leadership, it is now poised to flip that switch and deliver the kind of energy bill that the American public has been clamoring for. After two decades of being stuck in neutral and with oil prices in overdrive, Congress is finally on the verge of raising fuel economy standards. We applaud our leaders in Congress for taking on polluters, special interests, an army of cynical industry lobbyists, and the most hardened foes of clean energy to forge this historic agreement.
"Our environment, our climate, and the pocketbooks of hardworking American families are hurting after decades of failed energy policy. This bill--unprecedented in its support for clean energy and action to combat global warming--will take America's energy policy in a dramatically different direction. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, save consumers over $26 billion at the pump and $18 billion on their energy bills, give us greener cars and clean electricity, put us on the road to energy independence, and make real progress in the fight against global warming.
"We're now in the homestretch and are working hard to make sure this bill gets past the post and on the president's desk as soon as possible. We hope that this holiday season he'll give America the gift of a new energy future and all its trimmings."
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