Call Maine's Senators for Comprehensive Climate and Clean Energy Legislation
Over the past year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a strong climate and clean energy bill, the Environmental Protection Agency has taken steps to curb global warming pollution, and international negotiators in Copenhagen made advanced toward a global climate treaty. But we're still waiting for the United States Senate to offer their own solutions to the climate and energy crises.
Time is running out – if we don’t have 60 votes in support very soon, the odds are low that any climate legislation will pass this year. We need Senators Snowe and Collins to be leaders and support federal clean energy and climate legislation.
It's time for Maine's Senators to take action and demonstrate their leadership. Urge them to be leaders and support federal clean energy and climate legislation.
By calling today, you'll be joining climate and clean energy advocates nationwide. Please call Senator Olympia Snowe's local offices at (207)
874-0883, and Senator Susan Collins at (207)
945-0417.
Find contact information for the Senators' other local offices here.
Thanks for adding your voice to a growing volume of public support.
 About the American Power Act
The American Power Act, federal clean energy and climate legislation sponsored by Senators Kerry and Lieberman, was recently introduced to Congress.
The Act:
- Sets an achievable national pollution reduction target;
- Refunds the money raised right back to American consumers and businesses;
- Provides critically important funding to help birds and wildlife adapt to a changing climate
- Creates jobs; and
- Sets a course towards energy independence and economic resurgence.
Why Support the American Power Act?
Clean energy jobs are good-paying jobs that can’t be shipped overseas; such as manufacturing wind turbines and hybrid cars; researching new technologies; weatherizing homes and businesses; and installing solar panels and wind turbines.
- Clean-energy jobs are diverse and well paying -- from engineers and construction workers to machine setters and marketing consultants -- providing employment for people of all skill levels and educational backgrounds with annual incomes ranging from $21,000 to $111,000.
- The job growth rate in America’s emerging clean energy economy has been explosive, with the number of clean energy jobs growing at a rate
2 ½ times greater than in the general economy -- 9.1 percent versus only 3.8 percent -- between 1998 and 2007.*
Through strong clean energy and climate legislation, America can be a global leader in the clean energy future. If we invest in American business and draw on our ingenuity, we can make sure that millions of new clean energy jobs are created right here in America.
- A $100 billion investment in building a clean energy economy could create as many as two million new, well-paying jobs here in the U.S. in just two years, through projects in building retrofitting; mass transit and freight rail; smart grid electrical transmission systems; wind energy; solar energy; and advanced biofuels.**
- While we delay seriously investing in our clean energy industry, China is investing over $12 million dollars every hour.***
Strong clean energy legislation will save consumers and businesses money.
- Implementing a suite of climate, energy and transportation policies would allow the United States to reduce the emissions that cause climate change and save consumers and businesses $465 billion in 2030.****
Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe need to hear from you. Tell them you support The American Power Act. Ask them to support the legislation.
Or, if you'd prefer, send a letter or make a phone call. Your lawmakers have Maine offices near you - follow this link for contact information.
Please remember to thank Congressman
Michaud and Congresswoman Pingree for supporting the house bill (ACES).
Congressman Michaud can be contacted at (202) 225-6306. Congresswoman
Pingree at: (202) 225-6116
If you do not live in Maine, contact your state's Senators at this link:
United States Senate
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* The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering Jobs, Businesses and Investments Across America, The Pew Charitable Trusts, June 10, 2009; View the report. (PDF)
** Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts, September 2008; View the report.
*** We Must Seize the Energy Opportunity or Slip Further Behind, The Center For American Progress, April 20, 2009; View the report.
**** Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy, Union of Concerned Scientists, June 2009; View the report.
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