Jun

27

Nation’s Mayors Praise Congress for Accelerating Action on Climate Legislation

Filed Under American Clean Energy and Security Act, Cap and Trade, Climate Legislation 

The nation’s mayors under the leadership of Conference President Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels praised Members of the U.S. House of Representatives for approving historic energy and climate legislation.

On the Congressional action, Conference President Mayor Nickels stated, “This is a landmark vote that will help cities transform to a clean energy economy. For years, there was debate over the existence of global warming. Then came discussions about what to do about it. Today, we take substantive action. We praise Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Waxman and Chairman Markey and so many other House leaders for their leadership and courage in taking this necessary first step toward enacting critically needed national climate legislation. With Senate action, we will enter the era of clean energy. I stand ready to work with President Obama and Congress to create jobs in this new economy, and to lay the foundation for a cleaner and more secure energy future. This is good for our environment, good for our people, and good for our cities.”

“The nation’s mayors will continue to press Congress to move this legislation forward, while insisting that its provisions embrace and invest directly in cities and counties, since our communities are where the challenge of reducing our nation’s carbon emissions exists,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“We know that the multi-decade battle to curb greenhouse gases will be won or lost at the local level in our cities. Mayors must call upon Congress to support cities directly, investing in local actions that have been shown to increase energy efficiency, spur renewable energy development and curb carbon emissions. ” Nickels added.

Nearly 1000 U.S. mayors have pledged to take local action to meet the Kyoto targets, a mayoral commitment that also calls for actions by state governments and the federal government, including enactment of federal climate legislation with a national emissions trading system.

Conference President, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels led the Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. To see the full listing of the 950 + cities that have signed on, please visit: www.usmayors.org

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors