In the last newsletter I mentioned that the biennial Texas Legislative session
was starting up and that there would be a lobbying effort in conjuction with
the Texas Energy Future: clean energy, green jobs conference in February. A number
of folks from Collin County participated in what I think was a worthwhile event.
This issue is about that effort and where we go from here.
Feel free to contact me for more information.
Best regards
Bob Fusinato
[Send
questions, comments, or suggestions to BobFusinato@tx.rr.com]
February 18 was a big day for ACT - dozens of concerned citizens from across Texas participated in 2009 Lobby Day, and hundreds attended the Texas Energy Future Conference.
Lobby Day participants visited their Texas State Representatives and Senators and asked them to support clean energy legislation. The Alliance for a Clean Texas is making recommendations to the 81st Texas Legislature in the following issue areas:
1
Clean Energy
Texas
has abundant clean energy resources. The wind power industry has pumped
billions of dollars into the Texas economy due in part to demand
created by the state Renewable Energy Standard (RES) and steps taken to build
transmission lines that will bring that energy to markets in Texas.
We recommend that the legislature expand and diversify the RES to non-wind technologies.
We also recommend legislation to promote on-site renewables and remove barriers to their use.
2
Energy Efficiency
A
recent PUC study confirms that efficiency is the fastest, most
cost-effective way to meet our electric power needs. We want to
add funding to programs that already exist and improve state-wide
standards for buildings and appliances
3 Clean Air
More
than two-thirds of all Texans live in places were, on certain days the
air is unsafe to breath. We are encouraging legislators to reduce emissions through laws that
will tighten standards and add funding for programs like the Texas Clean
Bus Program.
4
Electronic Waste & Recycling
Recycling
is a critical energy saving strategy as well as an environmental protection
strategy. We recommend expanding recycling programs to include
televisions, key and mice.
5
Climate Change
U.S.
regulation of carbon emissions is becoming more likely. We need
to start now to establish state-wide programs to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
6
Coal
Whether
it's greenhouse gas emissions or the impact on health of Texans, coal
continues to be a problem. The permitting process needs to be
improved to assess cumulative impact of emissions and to include
greenhouse gases.
~~~
The Alliance For A Clean Texas is an alliance of more than 20 environmental, public interest, consumer rights and religious organizations dedicated to improving public health, quality of life and the environment in Texas by working for change at the regulatory and legislative levels. ACT published and distributed its 2009 legislative agenda in conjunction with the ACT Lobby Days held at the Capitol on February 17th & 18th. ACT Legislative Agenda: 81st Legislative Session (pdf)
~~~
After lobbying, participants attended the Texas Energy Future: Clean Power, Green Jobs conference with keynote speaker Van Jones and business leaders in the fields of energy efficiency and renewables.
The conference and much of the lobbying was dedicated to the notion that we are at the cusp of a "green energy " revolution that will move us away from polluting technologies toward new technologies that will ultimately cost less than cleaning up the old ones.
In the keynote speech for the conference, Van Jones outlined a conservative view of what ails our country and its economy and offered an enlightened view on how we can move past the old false assumptions toward a new cleaner, greener, and more sustainable economy.
Three false assumptions that have got us into trouble, he says, are the notion that we could go on forever consuming without producing, that we could borrow our way to prosperity rather than building and saving for the future, and that we could continue environmentally destructive, unsustainable use of resources without paying the price.
Focusing our efforts on clean-green energy sources and energy efficiency will create many new jobs here at home, help stem the flow of dollars overseas, and will ultimately be paid for through the savings we achieve.
Audio and Video is available: The audio and video of Van Jones' address at the Texas Energy Future conference last week is now available online at http://texasimpact.org/vanjones2009. It would be well worth taking a few moments to listen to his message.
For
more details on the conference see a report "Green Jobs, Clean Power"
by Sarah McDonald of Public Citizen Texas at http://texasvox.org/2009/02/19/green-jobs-clean-power
This is no time to sit on the sidelines and hope for economic recovery
or a cleaner environment. Clean, renewable energy technologies
will be growth industries of the future. Billions of dollars are
being invested in new, green or clean energy companies across the
country. If we are going to get the jobs to come here to Texas, we need
to promote the market and provide incentives for companies to develop
and manufacture the products here.
Things you can do