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Repowering America with clean energy

Ambitious goals in 2009 and beyond
Even as we continue our efforts to stop a new coal-fired power plant from being built near Macon, Environment Georgia is calling on the new Congress and president to pass a bold new energy plan to repower America that will cut dependence on oil and reduce global warming.

Fresh off our October 2008 victory in which Congress approved Environment Georgia-backed clean energy tax credits, Environment Georgia and our allies are calling on our elected officials to approve a plan for 100 percent renewable electricity and reduce our dependence on oil 50 percent. Energy efficiency is the fastest and cheapest way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but we also need new sources of clean, renewable homegrown energy.

Thankfully, Georgia has an abundance of alternative energy potential from wind off the coast to solar to biofuels from pine trees. Gov. Sonny Perdue recognized this reality in a recent speech:

“The state of Georgia is quickly becoming a recognized leader in alternative energy and fuel,” he said.  “Our goal is to develop a bioenergy industry that provides substantial economic benefit to Georgia and produces 15 percent of the state’s transportation fuels by 2020 from locally produced biofuels.”

Political momentum
Environment America, our national federation, worked to persuade then President-elect Barack Obama and incoming members of the 111th Congress to commit to the following principles: 100 percent renewable electricity, cutting global warming pollution 80 percent by 2050, and cutting oil use in half.

We laid the groundwork by going door-to-door and activating our e-mail list to build support for the plan. Our staff in Washington, D.C., identified the number of votes we could count on in Congress. We used the media to make the case for what is possible at the federal level by pointing to what we’ve been able to accomplish here in Georgia and across the country. We enlisted the support of scientists, business leaders and entrepreneurs to stand up to the opposition from the oil, gas and coal industries. President Obama pledged during this campaign to invest $150 billion in clean, renewable energy.

Now that clean energy incentives are renewed, we’re focusing on a plan to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity.