Friday, November 14, 2003

STATEMENT ON THE ENERGY BILL

JOSEPH OTIS MINOTT, ESQ., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CLEAN AIR COUNCIL:

"This bill, which will impact all parts of American society, was negotiated in complete secrecy. Republican insiders haggled with one another behind closed doors over a number of pork barrel deals, while allowing almost no input from Democrats or the American public. Members of Congress should reject the energy bill on this basis alone.

"The full text of this backroom deal has still not been released, but a few things about the bill have already become public: Rather than embracing a clean and sustainable energy future, Congress has offered an energy bill that keeps the United States dependent on foreign oil and the old, dirty technologies of the past.

"While giving billions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies to the coal, oil and nuclear industries, the energy bill does little to advance the United States as a leader in wind, solar or hybrid technology. Senator Specter criticized the energy conference for doing little on oil savings and renewable energy, for instance, while rolling back critical Clean Air Act protections. From what's known thus far, the bill hardly even contains measures to prevent the blackouts experienced throughout the Northeast this summer.

"A bill this bad should have died in conference. Let's hope Pennsylvania's legislators will make sure it never makes it into law."