Twenty-one organizations representing millions of Americans—including 1Sky and several allies—delivered a letter yesterday to all 100 U.S. senators, stating their opposition to the the New Energy Reform Act of 2008, an energy bill co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators who call themselves the "Gang of 20." As the letter makes abundantly clear, this is another flawed piece of energy legislation that fails to address our oil addiction or move us towards a clean economy. You may remember that the Senate has started to build something of a record when it comes to bad energy and climate bills—and the "New ERA" (don't you just love those clever Washington acronyms?) looks no more promising. Here's an excerpt from the letter, and I've pasted the full text below for your reading pleasure:

The New Energy Reform Act provides neither “new” solutions nor real “reform.” The legislation fails to strike the balance we need to address rising energy costs, global warming and our continued dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Rather, it provides a wish list of polluting energy giveaways coupled with a disappointingly thin proposal for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Full text of the letter:

Alaska Wilderness League | Audubon | The Center for the Celebration of Creation Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future | Clean Water Action | Defenders of Wildlife Earthjustice | Environment America | Friends of the Earth | Greenpeace | KyotoUSA League of Conservation Voters | Natural Resources Defense Council | Oceana Oil Change USA | Physicians for Social Responsibility | Public Citizen | Sierra Club Southern Alliance for Clean Energy | Union of Concerned Scientists | 1Sky

September 17, 2008

U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Senator:

On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, we urge you to oppose the New Energy Reform Act because it will not move us towards a clean energy future and away from oil dependence. Further, actions in this bill would be taken irrespective of the need to address climate change.

The New Energy Reform Act provides neither “new” solutions nor real “reform.” The legislation fails to strike the balance we need to address rising energy costs, global warming and our continued dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Rather, it provides a wish list of polluting energy giveaways coupled with a disappointingly thin proposal for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Instead of putting us on the path to a clean energy future, this proposal moves us further away by providing funding and other incentives for nuclear power and carbon-intensive liquid coal, tar sands and oil shale, while eliminating key protections for renewable fuels production.

The legislation also fails to deliver on renewable energy and energy efficiency and provides nothing for public transportation. It also fails to ensure that Americans can buy the most efficient cars by failing to tie financial incentives for the auto industry to improvements in fleet-wide fuel economy.

New oil and gas drilling will do nothing to reduce our dependence on oil or lower the price of gasoline and will do nothing to lower energy costs for American families. It will threaten our coasts and public lands with oil spills and toxic pollution. Doing more of the same won't solve our problem -- embracing clean energy options and efficiency will.

As we enter a new energy economy, it is time to shelve bad ideas from the last century - like new oil and gas drilling and billion dollar giveaways to the coal and nuclear industries - and focus on clean sources of energy and energy efficiency. We urge your careful consideration of the New Energy Reform Act, ask that you refrain from cosponsoring and that you vote against the bill when it is brought before the Senate later this week.

Thank you for your consideration.