Arkansas IPL has joined the national IPL and state affiliates across the country in signing a letter, led by Clean Energy Works. CEW is a diverse coalition of more than 80 grassroots organizations that includes faith leaders, labor organizations, veterans, environmental activists, sportsmen, farmers, business leaders, youth, community leaders, and other groups, all calling for urgent action on a comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.
Here is the text of the letter.
As we witness the worst industry-caused environmental catastrophe in our history, the deadliest coal mining disaster in 40 years, and sweat through the hottest first 6 months of any year on record, there’s never been a more urgent time to move forward with a clean energy and climate policy.
There’s no doubt that big oil, big coal, their army of lobbyists and their partners in Congress are cheering the obstruction that blocked Senate action on clean energy and climate legislation. Their cheers are cheers for China taking the lead in clean energy jobs, the Middle East getting more of our money, and America getting more pollution and fewer jobs.
At every opportunity, a minority of Senators who are in the pocket of America’s largest polluters in the coal and oil industries chose obstruction over working together to solve America’s energy and national security challenges. As a result of their actions, the big polluters will continue to reap record profits at the expense of Americans.
As we look forward, one thing is clear: the job is not done. The Senate and the Obama Administration must use every opportunity available to address clean energy and climate reform by working to limit carbon pollution and invest in new clean energy sources that are made in America, including protecting the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to crack down on polluters.
