A down payment on a greener future

It’s not all the change our environment needs, but it sure is a good start. Consider the environmental benefits of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed by President Obama on Feb. 17:

• A 68-million-ton reduction in the pollution that causes global warming,

• A 15-million-barrel reduction in the nation’s oil consumption each year, and

• The creation of 1.5 million new green jobs.

Environment Rhode Island worked alongside Environment America and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.)—a key champion of clean energy and transportation investments in the recovery package—to win an amendment to increase transit funding by $3 billion in the House version of the bill.

“This is a watershed moment for the American sustainability movement, for which we can thank the excellent work of Environment America and other pro-environment groups which have mobilized broadly—and effectively—in support of green energy,” said Rep. Nadler.

Pushing for clean energy, green jobs

As Congress debated the package, our staff fought off repeated attempts to cut funding for clean energy and green jobs.

In the weeks before the law’s passage, more than 20,000 of our coalition’s online activists urged Congress to keep the president’s recovery plan clean and green. Supporters also contributed funds to help run ads, on Facebook, TheHill.com and the Washington Post online, to hold House Republican leader John Boehner accountable for his attempts to slash green job-creating provisions from the bill.

Our federation’s staff also coordinated a massive face-to-face persuasion effort on Capitol Hill, holding 258 meetings with members of Congress and their staff to ensure they would stand strong for a green economic recovery.

$79 billion toward a greener future

The final bill invests $33 billion in clean energy, $27 billion in energy efficiency, and $19 billion in green transportation, including:

• Extending and expanding “recession-proof” renewable energy incentives, which will prevent 61 million tons of global warming pollution per year and create or protect 670,000 jobs;

• Providing $5 billion to help more than 1 million Americans weatherize their homes, a step that will prevent 2 million tons of global warming pollution and create 375,000 jobs; and

• Investing $8 billion in public transit, $1 billion in the Amtrak system and $8 billion in new high speed rail, which, taken together, will save 14 million barrels of oil per year and create or preserve nearly 296,000 jobs.

Much work remains, of course. Congress is slated to consider a series of major energy, climate and transportation bills, which, if properly crafted and approved, will build and expand upon this progress.