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Friend, This week President Obama announced the Clean Power Plan (CPP), the most ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions in our country's history. Republicans in the Senate are outraged at the action on climate, but when pressed for a plan of their own to fight global warming you won't believe who they pointed to. Lisa Murkowski, who chairs the powerful Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee, passed a bi-partisan energy bill in committee that's heralded as a good compromise. And GOP leaders are already saying this bill is their "answer" to our movement for climate justice.1 But when you see what's in this bill, it's clear the only things that are compromised are our air, climate and public health. The bill now heads to the full Senate and has a decent chance of passing unless we take action to stop this dirty energy bill. First off, it repeals a 2007 clause, signed into law by President George W. Bush, that would require all federal buildings to phase out fossil fuel use by 2030.2 At a time when we've been told by numerous scientists that we must keep 80 percent of fossil fuels underground, Murkowski's bill would also speed up the permitting and approval process for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Even Murkowski doesn't deny that the goal of this clause is to increase fracked gas infrastructure like pipelines and LNG export facilities -- especially in her home state of Alaska.3 That's why we need to draw a line in the sand and tell Murkowski we want a clean power future, not extreme energy extraction and Murkowski's Manhattan Project mayhem. Will you click here and show her what side you stand on?
There's another element of Murkowski's bill that gets little mention, even though this is what is primarily driving her quest to drill, frack and extract. Her home state of Alaska would receive as much as 30 percent of all offshore drilling revenue.4 Basically the oil baroness wants to drill as much as possible in sensitive areas like the Arctic Ocean and Alaska National Wildlife Refuge -- it's a straight up Klondike Climate Kill For Cash scheme. Call it a payback to her Big Oil BFFs who have contributed over $2 million to Murkowski.5 Whatever you call it, it's clear that this bill puts Big Oil profits ahead of country, climate and planet. Now that the bill heads to the full Senate under the guise of bi-partisanship, it's up to us to fight this bill every step of the way. Thanks for all you do, Anthony and the Environmental Action Clean Power Crusaders 1. Andrew Restuccia, It's debate day — How do you tell the GOP candidates apart? — Senate approves PHMSA chief, DOE nominees, Politico, Aug. 6 2015 4. Penn, Michael. Murkowski Revenue Sharing Bill Advances. Juneau Empire. July 31, 2015. 5. Center for Responsive Politics: Lisa Murkowski Career Campaign Finance Cycle. |
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