State and National groups letter in support of CLEAR Act

Mar 5, 2010

April 8, 2010

Statement on the Importance of the CLEAR Act

We are pleased that the CLEAR Act--the Carbon Limits and Energy for America's Renewal Act-- has been introduced into the U.S. Senate and is gaining interest and support. This legislation, introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wa) and Susan Collins (R-Me), will help solve the climate crisis while growing our economy and helping working families prosper. It is simple, fair and built to last.

The legislation aims to cut greenhouse gas pollution 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% by 2050. It allows for the President and a simple majority in Congress to make those targets stronger. It auctions 100% of the carbon permits, allows for no potentially complex "carbon offsets," and prevents Wall Street involvement in the carbon market. It will spur economic investment and innovation and create millions of jobs in clean energy.

It protects the purchasing power of American families by returning 75% of the revenue raised by the auction to all legal residents on a monthly, per capita basis. A family of four will receive approximately $1,000 a year, and that amount is expected to increase over time. This climate dividend will help protect all families from rising energy prices and provide a majority
of Americans with a net increase in annual income.

The remaining 25% of auction revenue will be used for U.S. and international greenhouse gas reduction, clean energy, energy efficiency, transition assistance and similar purposes.

No other carbon cap proposal before the Senate does as much to help American families, our economy, and our planet.



350.org
Association of World Citizens
Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Md/D.C./Va.
Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture)
Clean Air Watch
Climate Change is Elementary
Climate Protection Campaign, California
Consortium for Worker Education, N.Y., N.Y.
Dakota Resource Council
Earth Charter Lifeboat Academy of Pennsylvania
Fresh Energy, Minnesota
Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers)
Global Warming Education Network, Massachusetts
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Montana Environmental Information Center
National Community Action Foundation
New Energy Economy, New Mexico
New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce
New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
New York Interfaith Power and Light
Ohio Citizen Action
Organic Consumers Association
Our Next Economy LLC
Plains Justice (ND/SD/Mt/Ne/Ia/Wy)
Polytrade International Corp.
Post Carbon Institute
Public Citizen
Social Justice Committee, First Unitarian Church of Lynchburg, Va.
Sustainable Design
The Stella Group, Ltd.
Tomales Bay Institute
Valley Watch, Inc., Evansville, In.
Western Organization of Resource Councils

For more information on the CLEAR Act go to http://www.supportclearact.org.