RE: Support the Safe Climate Act

Dear Representative ,

I urge you to cosponsor and actively support the Safe Climate Act, H.R. 5642, legislation that takes vital and sensible steps to deal with the urgent and growing threat of devastating global climate change. Global warming threatens everything that we care about in this country, including our environment, public health and safety, our future economic prosperity, and our national security.

The World Health Organization estimates that as of the year 2000, more than 150,000 deaths per year worldwide are attributable to global warming, and this number will continue to grow. Increasingly violent storms, increased weather variability such as droughts and floods, and higher temperatures are occurring in this country because greenhouse gas concentrations are now at their highest level in more than 650,000 years. If we do not greatly decrease greenhouse gas emissions, 33 percent of the world's species may be extinct by 2050.

The Safe Climate Act sets targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions below the global warming danger point through a flexible, economy-wide cap-and-trade system and an emphasis on renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleaner cars. It freezes U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2010, at the 2009 levels. Beginning in 2011, it cuts emissions by roughly 2% per year, reaching 1990 emissions levels by 2020. After 2020, it cuts emissions by roughly 5% per year. By 2050, emissions will be 80% lower than in 1990. This is similar to goals announced by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill directs EPA to set a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from the largest polluters and allow the polluters to meet the cap by buying and selling emissions allowances. Allowances are distributed according to a plan developed by the President, with an opportunity for Congress to ratify or modify the plan. Proceeds from auctioning allowances are deposited in the “Climate Reinvestment Fund.” Revenues in the fund are dedicated to maximizing the public benefit and promoting economic growth, including supporting technology research and development, compensating consumers for any energy cost increases, providing transition assistance for affected workers and regions, and protecting against harm from climate change, such as safeguarding water supplies, protecting against hurricanes, and mitigating harm to fish and wildlife habitat.

The bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish national standards requiring an increasing proportion of electricity to be generated from renewable energy sources, reaching 20% of retail electricity sold in 2020. It also directs the DOE to establish national standards requiring utilities to obtain, each year, 1% of their energy supplies through energy efficiency improvements at customer facilities. These savings would accumulate each year through 2020.

Our future is truly at stake and we cannot wait any longer to take decisive action. I urge you to cosponsor H.R. 5642 and to do everything in your power to ensure its passage.

Most Sincerely,

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