A fresh start, but only a beginning

Emissions cap, renewable power among next steps

President Obama has begun to chart a new course on energy and the environment. Yet, as he would readily acknowledge, the toughest obstacles lie ahead. 

In January, members of Environment Iowa’s federal staff, Margie Alt, Anna Aurilio and Ivan Frishberg, applauded the president in the East Room of the White House as he directed his administration to take steps that will help states put more hybrids and other fuel-effi cient cars on our roads, reducing our carbon footprint and our dependence on oil.

In February, staff from our national federation, Environment America, were in attendance as the president signed the economic recovery bill, which includes an $80 billion down payment on clean energy that will create 1.5 million green jobs nationwide, including thousands in Iowa.

“We’re thrilled the president has acted so boldly and swiftly,” said Aurilio. “Yet there’s a mountain of work left to do, and he’s going to need all the help he can get.”

Obstacles to progress

Energy companies have proposed to build new, coal-fi red power plants across the United States. Environment Iowa is pushing for alternative plans, ones that would expand energy effi ciency, wind and solar.

The president has set a goal of generating 25 percent of our electricity from clean energy by 2025; he has also proposed a cap on carbon pollution. Environment Iowa supports both plans.

Despite the pro-environment majority in Congress, approval of these measures is far from assured—especially in the Senate, where the opposition needs only 41 votes to snarl progress in endless debate.

Meanwhile, we’re also working hard for energy-effi cient building codes, increased investment in solar power, and funding for our parks and wildlife. “We can’t repair overnight the damage done over eight years,” Alt said. “But we’re determined to push hard, move quickly and restore real protections to our air, water and land.”