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Enviros upset with oil drilling in Senate climate plan
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12/10/09 06:47 PM ET
Two environmental groups on Thursday criticized a proposed Senate compromise on climate and energy legislation over provisions that would expand U.S. oil-and-gas drilling.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) unveiled a broadly worded “framework” that merges greenhouse gas emissions caps with support for traditional and renewable energy sources.
“New offshore oil drilling in previously protected areas will put U.S. coastal economies and ocean wildlife at risk,” said Jacqueline Savitz, senior climate campaign director for the group Oceana, in a statement.
“Drilling makes no sense in legislation to address climate change. Such a bill should provide more incentives to develop clean, renewable energy and protect marine ecosystems,” she added.
The lawmakers are endorsing major new financial support for nuclear power in their framework as well. The framework does not provide details of the various proposals.
Environment America issued a statement that cheers the lawmakers’ endorsement of limits on greenhouse gas emissions and support for renewable energy and energy efficiency investments.
But Emily Figdor, director of the group’s federal global warming program, attacked the drilling and nuclear power plans.
“To really deliver on the promise of a clean energy economy, we must protect our treasured coasts from oil drilling, stop new investments in conventional coal plants and require existing coal plants to meet modern pollution standards, and not squander all-too-scarce federal dollars on expensive nuclear power plants that will set us back in the race to solve global warming,” she said.
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) unveiled a broadly worded “framework” that merges greenhouse gas emissions caps with support for traditional and renewable energy sources.
“New offshore oil drilling in previously protected areas will put U.S. coastal economies and ocean wildlife at risk,” said Jacqueline Savitz, senior climate campaign director for the group Oceana, in a statement.
“Drilling makes no sense in legislation to address climate change. Such a bill should provide more incentives to develop clean, renewable energy and protect marine ecosystems,” she added.
The lawmakers are endorsing major new financial support for nuclear power in their framework as well. The framework does not provide details of the various proposals.
Environment America issued a statement that cheers the lawmakers’ endorsement of limits on greenhouse gas emissions and support for renewable energy and energy efficiency investments.
But Emily Figdor, director of the group’s federal global warming program, attacked the drilling and nuclear power plans.
“To really deliver on the promise of a clean energy economy, we must protect our treasured coasts from oil drilling, stop new investments in conventional coal plants and require existing coal plants to meet modern pollution standards, and not squander all-too-scarce federal dollars on expensive nuclear power plants that will set us back in the race to solve global warming,” she said.
