Wind Turbine Installer Calls on Congressmen Cuellar, Hinojosa and Ortiz to Vote Yes on American Clean Energy and Security Act

Harlingen, TX –A local wind turbine installer, the homeowner/designer, and a field organizer for Environment Texas gather outside the wind-powered home of Chris Hamby on Thursday to call on the Congressmen to help repower America with clean energy by voting for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the bill on Friday. 

“It’s time to unleash the power of clean energy to help rebuild our economy on a sound foundation, create millions of jobs, break our dependence on oil, and solve global warming,“ said Ayleen Pérez Marty, Field Organizer with Environment Texas. “The American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) sets us on that path.“

The American Clean Energy and Security Act sets up a framework for transitioning to clean energy and curbing global warming.  It sets a first-ever cap on global warming pollution and contains important and effective standards to increase energy efficiency in buildings.  America’s reliance on the dirty energy of the past is draining our economy, threatening our security, and putting our planet in peril.  Unless we take immediate measures to combat the effects of global warming, South Padre Island is one of Texas’ coastal communities that will be rendered uninhabitable by rising sea levels.

The bill will reduce U.S. global warming emissions from capped sources by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and by 83 percent by 2050.  In addition, the bill commits the United States to achieving additional emission reductions through agreements to prevent deforestation.  The bill will establish strong minimum targets for commercial and residential building codes which will save consumers $25 billion per year by 2030.  And the bill will provide money to state and local governments to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy technology, and has consistently remained at or below the average price of conventional electricity such as natural gas, coal, and nuclear. The Rio Grande Valley’s coastal winds are a particularly great resource for wind energy due to the correlation between peak wind times and peak usage times in the region.  In addition, the wind industry is creating thousands of jobs for local providers, installers, engineers, and electricians.