Apr 20, 2021
A group of 50 former House and Senate leaders representing 42 states on April 20 sent a letter to Gina McCarthy, President Biden’s national climate advisor, in support of the administration’s dedication to building back better for a green future.
The letter stresses that “truly economy-wide change requires sustained political willpower, which will only come from a 50-state strategy that lifts working families – from coastal cities to farm country.” Fortunately, the letter notes that every state in America is blessed with talented labor and diverse renewable resources capable of supporting a new generation of green jobs.
“The path to success has already been demonstrated in innumerable ways. Iowa is now the leader in wind energy, which provides 42 percent of its electricity – more than any other state,” the leaders wrote. “In California, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) unlocked the transportation potential of farm-based biofuels, which have delivered almost 80 percent of all carbon reductions under the state’s climate agenda. Time and again, we have seen smart policy prove that climate action can be harnessed to rebuild neglected communities.
“That is why, as you work to turn an ambitious agenda into concrete policies, we urge you to ensure that America’s clean energy future offers a diversity of opportunities for America’s blue-collar workers, farmers, and low-income households,” they continued. “The climate is changing fast, and we do not have the luxury of pursuing solutions that will fall victim to shifting political winds. Now is the time to act quickly to deliver for disadvantaged communities, who cannot afford to be left out of the clean energy revolution.”
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