1Sky and Leading Groups Urge White House, Congress to Look Ahead

 ‘Go Green, Go Equal:’ Environmental, Minority Groups Outline Needed Long-Term Economic Stimulus for All Americans

Unusual Coalition Urges Congress, White House to Focus on Sparking New Economic Boom, Resolving Climate Woes and Expanding Prosperity for Poor and Working Class

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 — Two dozen leading environmental and minority groups are urging the White House and Congress to look ahead to a long-term economic stimulus package that would use
targeted investments in energy efficiency, mass transit, and a "Clean Energy Corps" to put hundreds of thousands of Americans to work while strengthening the economy, accelerating towards energy independence, and easing the harm of global warming.

In the joint statement to President George Bush, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the groups write: "By increasing national energy efficiency, reducing out-of-pocket energy spending, and creating employment opportunities, the measures above will meet basic stimulus goals while furthering national objectives of climate protection, energy security, and economic equity."

The statement continues: "In crafting a national stimulus package, we urge you to consider policy measures that not only help keep our economy out of recession in the short term, but also make smart investments in longer-term, sustained economic prosperity by moving our nation towards a clean energy economy that provides employment opportunities for poor and working-class Americans…. We have an opportunity to act boldly to strengthen American energy independence, invest in the clean, sustainable energy sources that will form the foundation of a new era of economic prosperity, and address global warming — all while putting hundreds of thousands of Americans to work."

In addition to endorsing such short-term steps as increased spending on means-targeted or unemployment-targeted programs (e.g., unemployment insurance, food stamps, and LIHEAP) and investments in the U.S. physical infrastructure and public buildings, the groups also call for steps to "promote a clean energy economy that provides opportunities for all Americans, including the poor and working class, including:

— Funding a public Clean Energy Corps that offers work and service opportunities to the young and poor to combat climate change through energy efficiency and weatherization projects;

— Expanded and immediate funding of the recent Green Jobs Act (GJA), Title X of the EISA;

— Directing infrastructure investments toward transit, mixed use dense development, walkable communities, and overall reductions in vehicle miles traveled and our nation’s carbon footprint;

— Investing in improving our electricity grid to be ’smarter’ in end-use efficiency and allowing greater use of distributed renewable energy generation;

— Using additional monies allocated to LIHEAP for improving building energy efficiency as well as home heating assistance, and removing current constraints on such use;

— Extend production and investment tax credits for solar, wind, and other renewable energy companies to prevent high-growth clean energy industries from having to cancel projects and lay off workers;

— Establishing federal credit guarantees for state and municipal ‘efficiency utilities’ promoting energy conservation efforts in transportation, industry, and buildings;

— Establishing a federal revolving loan fund to support such efforts; and

— Providing personal tax credits or rebates to encourage the purchase and installation of energy efficient appliances and heating and cooling systems."

The joint statement was signed by 1Sky; Breakthrough Institute; Center for Neighborhood Technology; Center for State Innovation; Climate Crisis Coalition; Climate Protection Campaign; Climate Solutions; ColorOfChange.Org; The Corps Network; Earth Day Network; EcoAmerica; Ella Baker Center for Human Rights; Energize America; Green for All; Green House Network; Hip Hop Caucus; Innovations in Civic Participation; Kyoto USA; MoveOn.Org Political Action; Solve Climate; Step It Up!; Sustainable South Bronx; and U.S. Climate Emergency Council.