Fed up with the undue influence of the energy companies, utilities, lobbyists and other interests that are making it impossible for Washington to move forward decisively in achieving America’s clean energy future, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is joining 35 other citizen organizations with more than 1.1 million combined members are joining forces to advance a nine-point “American Clean Energy Agenda” and to push for a serious renewable energy agenda no matter who is the next President or which party controls the Congress.
As crafted by CCAN and the other 35 groups, the new American Clean Energy Agenda calls for a number of bold steps, including: phasing out nuclear power, natural gas, coal and industrial biomass in favor of efficient use of renewable, non-polluting resources; opposition to a “clean energy standard” that includes coal, nuclear, oil, gas and unsustainable biomass; retooling federal “loan guarantees” to make smarter investments in renewable energy; greater emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency programs; and avoiding a future in which Americans suffer the consequences of mountaintop mining for coal and fracking of shale gas that is then exported for use in other nations.
Mike Tidwell , director of CCAN , said: “Sometimes, David has to take on Goliath when the stakes are high enough. America’s clean energy future is one of those fights that is worth waging, even in the face of enormously well financed and powerful lobbyists that do the bidding of the energy companies trying to kill America’s clean energy future. We look forward to working with other organizations in our region and across the United States to put the health of people and the protection of the environment ahead of the mindless pursuit of more energy at any cost.”
Organized by the nonprofit Civil Society Institute (CSI) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the emergence of the new network of citizen-run organizations reflects a deep dissatisfaction among Americans about the iron grip maintained by the energy industry and its lobbyists in promoting the non-solution of an “all of the above” approach to energy that would preserve the worst options and dilute the focus on real solutions.
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Offshore WIND staff, June 28, 2012; Image: Chesapeake Climate Action Network