Taking a step in the right direction on clean energy, on Jan. 18 the U.S. House approved the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007. We strongly supported the measure, which would repeal $14 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for the oil industry and invest the money in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. We’re urging the Senate to pass the bill as well.

The clean energy fund could be used to offer consumers incentives to purchase energy-efficient products, expand research and development into new technologies, and extend tax credits to promote the development of such renewable energy projects as wind farms.

As part of our New Energy Future campaign, we helped promote the legislation, which was included in Speaker Pelosi’s “first 100 hours” agenda. We also lobbied House members, mobilized 70 citizen lobbyists to talk to members of Congress about energy issues, and delivered the petition signatures of 25,000 of our members and supporters to the Capitol.

“Our next priority is to build support for a renewable electricity standard,” said Energy Advocate Kate Johnson. “By harnessing clean, homegrown energy sources, we can cut global warming pollution and make our country a world leader in clean energy.”

In the House, Reps. Tom Udall (N.M.) and Todd Platts (Penn.) have introduced a bill that would set a 20 percent standard by 2020. Senate leadership, including Energy Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman, has indicated that a renewable energy standard is a top priority. They’ll author a bill that will be filed in the coming months.

Researchers estimate that passing the renewable electricity bill would cut the same amount of global warming pollution as taking 89 million cars off the road.

States take the lead
Recent action by states is helping to pave the way for federal standards on clean, renewable electricity.

In the last year alone, organizers and advocates have helped win expansions of renewable energy requirements in five states.

• Here in Maryland, we helped expand our existing renewable energy standard to add a requirement that two percent of our electricity has to come from solar panels by 2022.

• In Washington state, voters passed a ballot question last fall that requires the state’s utilities to get 15 percent of their energy from renewable energy by 2020. The bill also requires those utilities to invest in energy conservation programs.

• In California, Energy Advocate Bernadette Del Chiaro took the lead on passage of a bill that puts California on track to equipping 1 million homes with solar panels.

• In Wisconsin, our partners played a central role in the state’s adoption of a 10 percent renewable energy standard by 2013.

• In New Jersey, our efforts were a major factor in expanding the state’s renewable energy requirement to 20 percent by 2020.

So far, 22 states and the District of Columbia have adopted renewable electricity standards that require utilities to sell a minimum amount of clean, renewable electricity.

“Congress should take note of what the states have done,” said Energy Program Director Rob Sargent. “States have proven that achieving 20 percent renewable electricity by 2020 is not a goal beyond our reach.”