Senator
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

RE: Support Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act

Dear Senator ,

I urge you to cosponsor and actively support the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, S. 3698, 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 Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act takes the following steps to deal with this extremely urgent challenge:

• Requires that the U.S. reduce its emissions between 2010 and 2020 to 1990 levels. By 2030, the U.S. must reduce its emissions by 1/3 of 80% percent below 1990 levels, by 2040 by 2/3 of 80% percent below 1990 levels and by 2050, to a level that is 80 percent below 1990 levels.
• Requires that power plants, automobiles and carbon intensive businesses reduce their global warming pollution.
• In the event that global atmospheric concentrations exceed 450 parts per million or that average global temperatures increase above 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average, EPA can require additional reductions.
• Provides for standards and grants for sequestration of greenhouse gases.
• The National Academy of Sciences will report to EPA and the Congress to determine whether goals of the Act have been met.
• Requires the US to derive 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
• Establishes energy efficiency standards similar those found in California and ten other states.
Invests in innovative technologies.

Our future is truly at stake and we cannot wait any longer to take decisive action. I urge you to cosponsor S. 3698 and to do everything in your power to ensure its passage.

Most Sincerely,