Taking a step in the right direction on clean energy, on Jan. 18, the U.S. House approved the C.L.E.A.N. Energy Act of 2007. Environment Massachusetts staff strongly supported the measure, which would repeal $14 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for the oil industry and invest the money in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. We’re urging the Senate to pass the bill as well.

The clean energy fund could be used to offer consumers incentives to purchase energy-efficient products, expand research and development into new technologies, and extend tax credits to promote the development of such renewable energy projects as wind farms.

As part of our work to support strong national energy policy, we helped promote the legislation, which was included in Speaker Pelosi’s “100 hours” agenda.

“Our next priority at the federal level is to build support for a renewable electricity standard,” said Environment Massachusetts Director Frank Gorke. “By harnessing clean, homegrown energy sources, we can cut global warming pollution and make our country a world leader in clean energy.”

In the House, Reps. Tom Udall (N.M.) and Todd Platts (Penn.) have introduced a bill that would set a 20 percent standard by 2020. Senate leadership, including Energy Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman (N.M.), has indicated that a renewable energy standard is a top priority. They’ll author a bill that will be filed in the coming months.

Researchers estimate that passing the renewable electricity bill would cut the same amount of global warming pollution as taking 89 million cars off the road.

States take the lead
Recent action by states is helping to pave the way for federal standards on clean, renewable electricity.

In the last year alone, organizers and advocates at our sister organizations across the country, have helped win expansions of renewable energy requirements in five states.

• In Washington state, voters passed a ballot question last fall that requires the state’s utilities to get 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. The bill also requires those utilities to invest in energy conservation programs.

• Environment California Energy Advocate Bernadette Del Chiaro took the lead on passage of a bill that puts California on track to equipping 1 million homes with solar panels.

• Advocates for Environment Arizona helped win a dramatic expansion of the state’s renewable energy standard.

• Advocates for Environment Wisconsin played a central role in the state’s adoption of a 10 percent renewable energy standard by 2013.

• Environment New Jersey’s efforts were a major factor in expanding the state’s renewable energy requirement to 20 percent by 2020.

So far, 22 states and the District of Columbia have adopted renewable electricity standards that require utilities to sell a minimum amount of clean, renewable electricity.

Massachusetts was one of the first states in the nation to pass a renewable energy standard, in 1997, setting a goal of 4 percent renewable electricity by 2009. But political fights have hampered enforcement of the law, and the state is falling short of the goal for renewable energy capacity.

“Congress should take note of what the states have done,” said Gorke. “Achieving 20 percent renewable electricity by 2020 would have tremendous environmental benefits. States are proving that’s not a goal beyond our reach.”