The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Clean Energy Blueprint - IL-PIRG

statement Clean Energy Blueprint Resolution in clean energy Clean Energy Blueprint Supporting Statements Blueprint Endorsers off-site Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future WHEREAS The Administration's National Energy Policy leans too heavily on increasing energy production using more fossil and nuclear fuels. WHEREAS Energy use in power plants accounts for 67% of air emissions of sulfur dioxide, the primary cause of acid rain; 25% of nitrogen oxides, which causes smog; 40% percent of carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global warming; and 33% of mercury, which damages nervous system development in children. WHEREAS Increasing fossil and nuclear energy production threatens more drilling in wilderness areas and public lands; leveling mountaintops and pushing them into streams to mine coal; fouling land and water with oil and coal waste spills; building hundreds of thousands of miles of new pipelines and power lines; risking nuclear accidents and accumulating more nuclear waste. WHEREAS A Union of Concerned Scientists study, Clean Energy Blueprint, and an Interlaboratory Working Group study, Scenarios for a Clean Energy Future have found that we can greatly increase energy efficiency and renewable energy development, reduce air emissions and other harmful environmental impacts, and save consumers billions of dollars. THEREFORE We endorse the policies in the Clean Energy Blueprint: Creating a national Renewable Portfolio Standard to ensure electricity supplies include at least 20% non-hydropower renewable energy by 2020. Creating a federal System Benefit Fund (equaling 0.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, about $1/month for a typical household) to match state electricity programs promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-income services. Reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury from power plants. Extending renewable energy tax credits and expanding them to include solar, geothermal, and new clean biomass sources, and tax credits for advanced high-efficiency products. Increasing research and development spending on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies by at least 50%. Upgrading federal appliance efficiency standards and expanding them to cover additional products. BLUEPRINT ENDORSERS The following businesses, environmental organizations, consumer organizations, associations, academics, doctors, and others have only endorsed the policies in Clean Energy Blueprint, and have not necessarily reviewed and endorsed the assumptions, methods, and conclusions of our analysis. The Union of Concerned Scientists is solely responsible for the contents of the report. Businesses Aqua Sun International Biorefiner Cape Wind Associates Colorado Energy Group, Inc. Communications Consortium Media Center Endless Energy Corporation Energy Management Inc. Energyscapes EAPC Architects Engineers Full Circle Energy Project, Inc. Heliotronics, Inc. Hurshtown Alternative Power Moose, Inc. Sol-Air Company Sun Power Electric Vermont Energy Investment Corporation Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation Environmental Organizations 20/20 Vision A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity Abalone Alliance Safe Energy Clearinghouse Alabama Environmental Council Alaska Wilderness League Alliance for Affordable Energy Alliance for Sustainable Communities American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy American Public Information on the Environment Alliance for Sustainability American Rivers Anacostia Watershed Society Bluewater Network Bolingbrook Earth Watch California Global Warming Campaign California League of Conservation Voters CALPIRG (California Public Interest Research Group) Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies Center for Environmental Citizenship Center for International Environmental Law Center for Resource Solutions Citizen Action of Illinois Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana Clean Air-Cool Planet Clean Air Council Clean Power Campaign Clean Water Action Clean Water Action Alliance of Massachusetts Clean Water Action Alliance of Minnesota Clean Water Action Alliance of North Dakota Climate Action Now Climate Solutions Cloud Forest Institute Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, New Mexico Communities United for Responsible Energy Dakota Resource Council Defenders of Wildlife EarthAction Earth Care Earth Day Coalition Earth Day New York Ecology Center of Southern California Environmental Advocates of New York Environmental and Energy Study Institute Environmental Background Information Center Environmental Law and Policy Center Environmental League of Massachusetts Florida League of Conservation Voters Florida PIRG (Florida Public Interest Research Group Friends of the River Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention (GHASP) Georgians for Transportation Alternatives Global Exchange Global Green, USA Global Possibilities Global Response Grand Canyon Trust Greenhouse Network GreenPeace Heartland Operation to Protect the Environment Hoosier Environmental Council Illinois PIRG (Illinois Public Interest Research Group) Iowa Citizen Action Network Iowa Environmental Council Iowa PIRG Iowa Policy Project Iowa SEED Coalition Kyoto Now! Land and Water Fund of the Rockies Leopold Group of the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club Maryland PIRG (Maryland Public Interest Research Group) Massachusetts Climate Action Network MASSPIRG (Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group) Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Mid-Nebraska Pride Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy MPIRG (Minnesota Public Interest Research Group) National Environment Trust Natural Resource Defense Council NHPIRG (New Hampshire Public Interest Research Group) New Jersey Environmental Lobby New Uses Council NCPIRG (North Carolina Public Interest Research Group) Northwest Energy Coalition Northwest SEED - Sustainable Energy for Economic Development Nuclear Energy Information Service Nuclear Information Resource Services Ohio Environmental Council Oregon Environmental Council OSPIRG (Oregon State Public Interest Research Group) Pace Energy Project PennPIRG (Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group) Pennsylvania Environmental Network Rainforest Action Network Redwood Alliance RENEW Wisconsin Renewable Northwest Project Sierra Club Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Southwest Energy Efficiency Project Texas SEED Coalition The Izaak Walton League of America The Minnesota Project Toxics Action Center Union of Concerned Scientists USPIRG (U.S. Public Interest Research Group) Utahns for an Energy Efficient Economy VPIRG (Vermont Public Interest Research Group) WISPIRG (Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group) Western Nebraska Resources Council Consumer Organizations Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana Citizen Power Citizens Protecting Ohio Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights Massachusetts Energy Consumers Alliance Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy Pressure Point The Utility Reform Network Westchester People's Action Coalition Associations American Bioenergy Association Angus Duncan, President, Bonneville Environmental Foundation California Solar Energy Industries Association (CalSEIA) California Wind Energy Association Clean Fuels Development Coalition Clean Fuels Foundation Foundation for Communities & Environment Heartland Solar Energy Industries Association Iowa Renewable Energy Association Midwest Renewable Energy Association Minnesota Renewable Energy Society, Inc. Nebraska Farmers Union Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment Texas Solar Energy Society Academics Dennis H. Knight, Professor Emeritus, University of Wyoming Alan Fantel, University of Washington Center for Energy & Environmental Policy (University of Delaware) Daniel M. Kammen, Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory Mark Jacobson, Associate Professor, Stanford University Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Missouri Botanical Garden National Educational Resource Center, Inc. Richard B. Norgaard, Professor of Energy and Resources and of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Berkeley Richard Ottinger, Dean Emeritus, Pace Law School Dr. Richard Rich, Professor and Chair, Institute for Environmental and Energy Studies, UVA Doctors Dr. J.R. Bak, University of Washington Dr. Sarah Badran, University of Southern California Dr. Alexander Dent, Indiana University Paul R. Epstein, M.D., Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School Dr. Lyle Fagnan, Oregon Health and Science University Todd Forman, M.D., University of Southern California Dr. Gary Goldbaum, King County Hospital Stephen J. Jay M.D., Indiana University Dr. Sandra Juul, University of Washington Dr. Margaret Lieb, University of Southern California Dr. Gary Rischitelli, Center for Research in Occupational and Environmental Toxicology Stephen Ruoss, M.D., Stanford University Other Groups Better World Group Don Preister, Nebraska Senator Episcopal Power and Light Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Kansas Rural Center Local Power McKeever Institute of Economic Policy Analysis MoveOn.org Project Underground Shared Living Resource Center Southern California Ecumenical Council