Letter to Senator Feinstein Regarding the Clean Air Act

[thom danfield]

July 23, 2009

Dear Senator Feinstein

We were very disappointed to see where lobbyists for Big Coal were able to prevail in vital wording within the House energy bill. That wording repeals a key Clean Air Act provision; if passed as is that bill would lock in a new generation of dirty coal power and block many of the solar and wind power jobs that our country dearly needs.

While we realize that the bill does some good things, like improving energy efficiency, we also realize that it repeals a whole section of the Clean Air Act that requires limits on global warming pollution from coal plants.

We urge you to do everything you can do in the Senate to save the Clean Air Act and allow President Obama to crack down on dirty coal plants? The days for Big Coal to get free passes on pollution restrictions must end. This principle is strongly accentuated at this time because such free passes would have the effect of crowding out many solar and wind energy start-up enterprises and the new jobs they'd create? Our country needs to be a leader in these new technologies; we are uniquely positioned to be just that. The buying of Congress and the pollution exemptions by Big Coal would be a shameful reflection on our democratic process and on our country’s commitment to a better environment.

Again, we urge you in the strongest of ways to amend or edit the Energy Bill before you in such a way as to disallow the coal industry to be exempt from pollution reduction measures.

Thank you for considering our position in this important matter.