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<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT><FONT face=Verdana
color=#008000 size=2>The article below says,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>" the federal government to quickly enact
strong national legislation to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gas
emissions. "</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#008000
size=2> But the problem remains that
EXISTING laws are not being enforced - especially against the worst
emitters/polluters. The standards in place right now are not being
met, even though REQUIRED BY LAW. So tighten the standards or
punishments all you want, and it won't make a bit of difference. We
need to hold government accountable for FAILURE TO ENFORCE EXISTING
STANDARDS before we haul off with endless more
legislation. If current laws are not enforced, you can
reasonably expect additional laws won't be enforced either.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><FONT face=Verdana color=#008000>The
article goes on to list some things which should be included in
proposed bills:</FONT> </FONT><BR></DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial> Account
for the global dimensions of climate
change;<BR> Recognize the importance of
technology; <FONT face=Verdana color=#008000>--- I would
add, "If you don't <STRONG>DEVELOP</STRONG> alternative technologies such as
<STRONG>solar, wind, hydro-electric,</STRONG> they will always lag behind
current technologies such as oil, (no offense, Bill!), coal,
etc.</FONT><BR> Be environmentally
effective;<BR> Create economic opportunity
and advantage; <FONT face=Verdana
color=#008000>--- I would add, "This opportunity and advantage must
be for non greenhouse gas emitting energy sources such as, once again,
<STRONG>solar, wind, and
water."</STRONG></FONT><BR> Be fair to
sectors disproportionately impacted; and<BR>
Recognize and encourage early action.</FONT></DIV>
<P><BR><BR><BR><FONT face=Arial>-----Original Message-----<BR><BR>Embargoed
until 8am January 22, 2007<BR><BR>Contact: John Files<BR>Office:
202-585-2077<BR>Mobile: 202-285-1706<BR><BR><BR>MAJOR BUSINESSES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS UNITE TO CALL FOR SWIFT ACTION<BR>ON GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE<BR><BR>U.S. Climate Action Partnership<BR>Cites Environmental and
Economic Benefits<BR><BR>WASHINGTON, D.C. Jan. 22, 2007 A diverse group of
U.S.-based businesses<BR>and leading environmental organizations today called on
the federal<BR>government to quickly enact strong national legislation to
achieve<BR>significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. The group
said any<BR>delay in action to control emissions increases the risk of
unavoidable<BR>consequences that could necessitate even steeper reductions in
the future. <BR><BR>This unprecedented alliance, called the U.S. Climate
Action Partnership<BR>(USCAP), consists of market leaders Alcoa, BP America,
Caterpillar, Duke<BR>Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, General Electric, Lehman
Brothers, PG&E, and PNM<BR>Resources, along with four leading
non-governmental organizations <BR>Environmental Defense, Natural Resources
Defense Council, Pew Center on<BR>Global Climate Change, and World Resources
Institute.<BR><BR>At a news conference today at the National Press Club, USCAP
issued a<BR>landmark set of principles and recommendations to underscore the
urgent<BR>need for a policy framework on climate change. The
solutions-based report,<BR>titled A Call for Action, lays out a blueprint for a
mandatory<BR>economy-wide, market-driven approach to climate
protection.<BR><BR>The time has come for constructive action that draws
strength equally from<BR>business, government, and non-governmental
stakeholders, said Jeff Immelt,<BR>Chairman and CEO of General Electric. These
recommendations should<BR>catalyze legislative action that encourages innovation
and fosters economic<BR>growth while enhancing energy security and balance of
trade, ensuring U.S.<BR>leadership on an issue of significance to our country
and the world.<BR><BR>USCAPs recommendations [see attachment or
visit<BR></FONT><A href="http://www.us-cap.org/ClimateReport.pdf"
target=_blank><FONT
face=Arial>http://www.us-cap.org/ClimateReport.pdf</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>]
are based on the following
six<BR>principles:<BR><BR>7 Account for the
global dimensions of climate change;<BR>7
Recognize the importance of technology;<BR>7
Be environmentally effective;<BR>7 Create
economic opportunity and advantage;<BR>7 Be
fair to sectors disproportionately impacted;
and<BR>7 Recognize and encourage early
action.<BR><BR>The principles and the recommendations outlined in A Call for
Action are<BR>the result of a year-long collaboration motivated by the shared
goal of<BR>slowing, stopping and reversing the growth of greenhouse gas
(GHG)<BR>emissions over the shortest period of time reasonably
achievable.<BR><BR>This unique cooperation of business and environmental leaders
is a clear<BR>signal to lawmakers that legislative action is urgently needed.
This<BR>non-partisan effort was driven by the top executives from
member<BR>organizationscompanies with a combined market capitalization of more
than<BR>$750 billion and environmental groups with more than one million
members<BR>worldwide and global policy influence.<BR><BR>A Call for Action
reflects a growing public concern about global warming. A<BR>recent TIME
magazine/ABC News/Stanford University poll finds that a<BR>significant majority
of Americans, about 85 percent, say they believe<BR>global warming is probably
happening. An even larger percentage, 88<BR>percent, say they think global
warming threatens future generations.<BR><BR>USCAP urges policy makers to enact
a policy framework for mandatory<BR>reductions of GHG emissions from major
emitting sectors, including large<BR>stationary sources and transportation, and
energy use in commercial and<BR>residential buildings. The cornerstone of this
approach would be a<BR>cap-and-trade program. The environmental goal is to
reduce global<BR>atmospheric GHG concentrations to a level that minimizes
large-scale<BR>adverse impacts to humans and the natural environment. The group
recommends<BR>Congress provide leadership and establish short- and mid-term
emission<BR>reduction targets; a national program to accelerate technology
research,<BR>development and deployment; and approaches to encourage action by
other<BR>countries, including those in the developing world, as ultimately
the<BR>solution must be global.<BR><BR>The Climate Action Partnership
recognizes that the undertaking to address<BR>climate change is an enormous one,
and should not be underestimated, said<BR>Jonathan Lash, President of the World
Resources Institute. But enacting<BR>environmentally effective, economically
sustainable and fair climate change<BR>law must be a national
priority.<BR><BR>USCAP believes that programs to encourage efficiency and to
promote cleaner<BR>technologies in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 enacted by the
last Congress<BR>and supported by the President were a good step. However,
they alone<BR>cannot get us to where we need to be on the climate change
issue. A<BR>mandatory system is needed that sets clear, predictable,
market-based<BR>requirements to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. <BR><BR>The members of USCAP pledge to work with the
President, the Congress and<BR>other stakeholders to confront this vital global
challenge.<BR><BR>NOTE TO EDITOR: A full copy of A Call for Action and
background information<BR>on the U.S. Climate Action Partnership may be found at
www.us-cap.org.<BR><BR>Kathleen kain<BR></P></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>