Behind the scenes: Energy and climate in DC

State leagues lobby for federal clean energy/climate bill

Last week, I attended the national League of Conservation Voters' (LCV) annual Lobby Day as well as LCV's 40th Anniversary Dinner in Washington DC. As always, spending time in Washington DC was truly wonderful. It is a beautiful city with a ton of political energy. For political and policy wonks like me, this is one of my favorite places to spend time.

On Lobby Day, representatives of the League of Conservation Voters and 23 state conservation leagues from across the country met with the members and staff of 38 Senate offices and 79 House offices on Capitol Hill. The mission? To call for passage of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation this year. 

Yes to energy reform; No to Murkowski

Last week's Lobby Day was timed perfectly as members of Congress heard from their constituents on the need for real energy reform in the wake of the Gulf Coast disaster. We urged Senators to oppose Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (Alaska-R) “Big Oil Bailout” resolution that would gut the Clean Air Act, put public health at risk and jeopardize long-overdue action to hold the biggest polluters accountable

OLCV Board Chair Stephen Kafoury, OLCV Board member Robin Hartmann and I met with Oregon delegation members: Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Congressmen Kurt Schrader and Earl Blumenauer. Oregon is fortunate to have both Senators clearly opposed to the Murkowski resolution. The bailout failed on the Senate floor the day after our lobby day.

Concerns mounting: Make your voice heard

The Oregon delegation agrees that the nation needs a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill.

That bill is the American Power Act (APA), drafted by Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman earlier this year. The APA contains a comprehensive approach to enhancing energy security, spurring the development of clean energy technologies and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The bill is in negotiation stages, and over the next month it will be crucial to have a bill ready to be voted on in both the House and Senate before the opportunity slips by.

Senator Kerry was the keynote speaker at the LCV Dinner. I was impressed by his strong dedication and desire to pass this legislation. With the 2010 election only a few months away and many seats in play on both sides of the aisle, many people feel that this year might be our best chance to pass this legislation. But concerns are mounting that we will not have enough time to pass something this year. As we saw with health care reform, climate legislation may come once again come seccond to other seemingly more pressing issues--such as immigration reform.

Interestingly, many members of Congress said they don’t hear from their constituents (that is, citizens like us) on these issues. In addition, they say the Gulf spill has not had enough of an effect on many states for their representatives in DC to connect it with the need to reduce our dependence on oil and build a clean energy economy that creates new, stable jobs. Fortunately, Oregon's Congressional Delegation knows how important it is that we pass this legislation. You can make a difference by thanking your Senators and Representatives for supporting a bill that curbs global warming and spurs a clean energy economy.

My time in DC, including our meeting with the thoughtful and inspiring leaders in the Oregon delegation, left me I'm feeling very inspired. I hope they can get their fellow Congress members on board with clean energy and climate legislation before time slips by.