FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Tony Kreindler, EDF, 202-572-3378 or 202-210-5791 (cell)


Statement by EDF National Climate Campaign Director Steve Cochran on the manager’s amendment to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act unveiled today:
 
"We applaud Chairman Boxer and Senators Lieberman and Warner for putting us in position to adopt a strong cap on global warming pollution. The work they’ve done to pass a bipartisan bill out of committee and move it to the Senate floor has created an historic opportunity for the Senate to act.
 
“Like any major piece of legislation, the bill will never be perfect.  But S. 2191 has the framework we need to put the U.S. on the path to deep pollution cuts. Its mandatory cap on emissions guarantees environmental results, and its time-tested emissions trading provisions gets them at the lowest possible cost.
 
“This is a strong bill, though we're concerned that its approach to managing volatility in the carbon market might inhibit its effectiveness, both environmentally and economically. We look forward to working with the sponsors and other Senators to improve these provisions.
 
"Senators from both sides of the aisle should now work with the authors and the leadership to resolve any remaining differences and pass the bill. Opposing it will only play into the hands of those trying to block all meaningful action.
 
"Every day we delay, the costs will go up. If we fail to act now or settle for weak solutions, solving the problem will only get harder and more expensive.  
 
"Every credible assessment of cap and trade tells the same story: we can afford an ambitious climate policy if we act soon, and we can grow the economy at the same time. The alternative is paying more down the road to manage the impacts of unchecked climate change – damage to public infrastructure, rising insurance rates, new national security threats, and jobs lost to others that have acted first to seize the market for clean energy.
 
"We hope the Senate moves to a vote on S. 2191 as soon as possible. It’s the first and best hope for the U.S. to finally begin addressing climate change, and a chance to take the lead in developing the solutions the world needs and the jobs that come with them."


###