Passed in the House by a narrow margin of 219-212, The American Clean Energy and Security Act now awaits action in the Senate.  The Environment and Public Works Committee has a great task before it – to preserve the integrity of the bill’s cap and trade policies while bolstering its energy provisions to reach more responsible levels of regulation.

It is especially important that the bill strengthen its current Renewable Energy Standards to deliver the results promised by the House bill.  Further concessions for fossil fuels and other non-renewables would essentially negate, both politically and environmentally, our transition to a clean energy future.  Here, the cap on emissions is also crucial; carrying over the limits established in the House guarantees emissions reductions of 17% by 2020, and 83% by 2050.  These goals are more than feasible, and promise to be more effective than a carbon tax. Overall, we cannot enact loose policy around our renewable energy resources, or it will be forsaken for continued dependence on dirty fossil fuels. 

The timeliness of this bill is of the utmost importance.  We cannot afford to continue debating the existence of human-induced global warming, presenting the same undeniable facts and figures without results.  This comprehensive clean energy bill promises real action, jumpstarting America’s new energy economy and bringing us into the future.  Additionally, this policy would once again place the U.S. at the forefront of environmental issues on a worldwide scale.  The time to act is now; Colorado must urge our Senators Bennet and Udall to strengthen and pass the ACES bill, investing in a clean and prosperous future for America.