ENVIRONMENT

As the only a member of the Senate majority to sit on both the Environment and Public Works and the Energy and Natural Resources Committees, Senator Sanders is uniquely positioned to fight for progressive energy polices and increased environmental protection – issues of great importance to him and to all Vermonters.  In fact, the first bill Senator Sanders introduced as a member of the U.S. Senate shines the spotlight on an issue that bridges both our energy and environmental policies: global warming. 

In addition to setting bold greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, Senator Sanders’ Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act would make the United States a leader in energy efficiency and conservation technology, and promote clean, sustainable sources of energy.  The act calls for an 80% reduction - compared to 1990 levels -  in global warming pollutants by 2050 and offers the most progressive and comprehensive solution to reduce greenhouse gasses across the nation.

Senator Sanders, following up on his global warming bill, continues to work with his colleagues to push for strong global warming legislation and has been actively engaged in efforts to strengthen other global warming bills the Senate considers.  Senator Sanders supports the efforts of Vermont, California, and other states to enforce a tougher set of vehicle emissions rules than the federal government to curb global warming – and opposed the Bush administration’s 2007 decision to stand in the way.

Senator Sanders was also very involved with the writing of the energy bill that was signed into law on December 19, 2007.  He worked with his colleagues to ensure that the bill included a green jobs workforce training program, a block grant program to support the efforts of state and local governments to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and a grant program to support public institutions, including our colleges and universities, as they engage their students in campus efforts to become more energy efficient and install renewable energy technologies.

Highlights of the Energy Bill (signed into law in 2007)

• Green Job Training Program -
  “Green Job Worker Training” (Title X of P.L. 110-140) is a major national investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency could create more than three million jobs over the next ten years.  According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the lack of skilled workers is the largest non-technical barrier to the advancement of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.  The green jobs program creates a sustainable, comprehensive public enterprise to be administered by the Secretary of Labor.  It will provide quality training for jobs created through renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.  Senator Sanders partnered with Senator Clinton and Representatives Solis, Tierney, and George Miller to create this new training program.

• Energy Block Grants for Communities -
  Over the past few years, cities, towns, and states all across the country have worked to significantly help the nation address its energy challenges.  The Energy Block Grants program (Section 541 of P.L. 110-140), which is patterned after the existing Community Development Block Grant program, is designed to provide federal funding to support these locally-designed strategies to reduce energy use, promote energy efficiency, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.  Senator Sanders partnered with Senator Menendez to create this program.

• Energy Grants for Higher Education -
  Getting students of all ages involved in efforts to increase energy sustainability must be a priority for the country, as should updating all of the nation’s public buildings.  These two pieces form the core of the Energy Sustainability and Efficiency Grants and Loans for Institutions program (Section 471 of P.L. 110-140).  This program provides a vital link in updating our public infrastructure while simultaneously getting young people involved in meeting our energy challenges.  Senator Sanders partnered with Vermont’s Congressman Peter Welch to create this grant program.

“Lieberman-Warner” Global Warming Bill (Passed out of the EPW Committee)

Sen. Sanders took an active role during committee consideration of the Lieberman-Warner bill, S. 2191.  This bill calls for a “cap-and-trade” mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  Under such a system the federal government would auction off pollution credits, which could then be traded on a carbon market.  Obvious concerns with this approach include the actual emission reduction targets, the manner by which the government auctions pollution credits, and to whom the auction proceeds would be directed.  As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Sanders has worked to improve this legislation:

• This bill originally provided no portion of the auction proceeds for renewable energy, like wind, solar, and geothermal.  Senator Sanders was able to change the bill so that 25 percent of auction proceeds would go to fund renewable energy projects and programs, a level on par with the amount directed to advanced coal and carbon sequestration programs.
  
  
• He also offered several amendments in committee to strengthen this legislation, although they were rejected.  These include:
  
  
• An amendment requiring the U.S. to cut its global warming pollution by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.  This emissions target is the minimal level scientists tell us we need to achieve to avoid the worst effects of catastrophic climate change.
• A “Scientific Lookback” amendment requiring the EPA to act if the National Academy of Sciences learns that we have not taken sufficient action under the bill to avoid dangerous global warming.  Such an amendment would keep our response to climate change accountable to new scientific developments.
• An amendment, in partnership with Senator Clinton, to require that 100 percent of emissions permits be auctioned off, rather than given away - the right to pollute should not be given away free to polluting industries.  Such giveaways would result in billion dollar windfalls for companies at the expense of the consumers while doing little to decrease actual greenhouse gas emissions. 
  
  
• Senator Sanders will continue to seek out opportunities to strengthen this legislation as it moves forward.  Not long ago, global warming was not even on the congressional agenda.  Now that it is, we have an incredible opportunity to revolutionize our environment and economy. 

Learn more about Senator Sanders’ efforts to improve our environment and move us towards sustainable and efficient energy sources: