Energy and Water Appropriations Leadership push for Dirty Energy, Dirty Water
Media Contacts
Environment America
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee for energy and water will consider and vote on a spending bill that cuts the Department of Energy’s renewable energy budget by nearly half and inhibits the Obama administration’s ability to restore Clean Water Act protections to America’s waterways.
Anna Aurilio, Director of Environment America’s D.C. office, issued the following statement:
“House Energy and Water Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen is trying to relinquish environmental progress and American leadership on clean energy, prop up failed and dangerous nuclear power, and block clean water protections in this environmentally disastrous appropriations bill. By slashing renewable energy programs by $911 million, funding dirty nuclear programs at $656 million, and threatening our waterways with a dirty water provision this bill is bad news for anyone who wants cleaner air, water and less radioactive waste.
“The past year’s extreme weather has only made solving global warming more urgent. But the House Energy and Water Subcommittee is going out of its way to add fuel to global warming’s fire by slashing vital renewable energy programs.
“Getting more energy from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power is crucial to ending our dependence on dirty fossil fuels that cause global warming.
“Wind Power for a Cleaner America, an Environment America Research and Policy Center report, recently showed the wind industry offset 68 million metric tons of global warming pollution in 2012, as much as is produced by 13 million cars.
“Americans deserve clean water to drink, swim, and fish in, but the House Energy and Water Subcommittee is willing to let big agribusiness, developers, miners, and other despoilers continue polluting our waterways without limit. Due to polluter-supported loopholes in our Clean Water Act, the drinking water for more than 117 million Americans is at risk of pollution.
“Americans expect their leaders to look after their interests, not those of major polluters. I’m disappointed to see House appropriators choosing once again to stand with polluters instead of investing in a clean energy future and protecting our waterways.”
