Durbin: Gore's Global Warming Documentary is Wake-Up Call

DURBIN: GORE'S GLOBAL WARMING DOCUMENTARY IS WAKE-UP CALL

The impact of global warming is real, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) told a group of elementary school students gathered at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, pointing to the plight of polar bears who are seeing their Arctic habitat slowly melt.

Durbin told the students that they and their families can take action to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encouraged the students to talk to their parents about their interest in helping to stop the global warming trend. Small steps the Senator suggested include saving electricity by turning off lights and computers, biking and walking instead of asking for a car ride, planting trees, recycling and encouraging parents to buy products designed to save energy.

Durbin has also proposed a series of legislative solutions to help reverse the global warming trend. "It is our responsibility as leaders to ensure that the decisions we make today provide solutions to global warming instead of adding to the problem. America's energy policy has been headed in the wrong direction for too many years; unless we turn it around, we're going to reach a dead end," Durbin said.

"We have a chance to do two things: move seriously toward the goal of energy independence before our economy stalls and to begin to reverse the environmental damage that threatens our way of life. I believe energy and the environment are indistinguishable and the time is right for an energy policy that serves our economy and saves our environment." Durbin added.

Durbin called for the passage of his bill on fuel economy standards. Last year, for the third time in a matter of four years, Durbin proposed setting a new ambitious and attainable fuel standard of 40 miles per gallon by 2015 for cars and passenger trucks, including sport utility vehicles (SUV's). The bill, often referred to as CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy), is designed to get the United States back on track toward a cleaner, more efficient and less oil-dependent energy future.

"If the U.S. had increased the fuel economy of all cars sold in America ten years ago by only five miles per gallon, today we would be using more than 1 million fewer barrels of oil per day -- saving $33 billion annually in the U.S. economy and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming," Durbin said.

Durbin also called for passage of the Clean EDGE Act of 2006, which sets a national goal of reducing oil consumption by 40%, or 6 million barrels per day, by 2020. It also requires that 50% of all vehicles be fully capable of running on ethanol, biodiesel or alternative fuels by 2020 and that all refueling stations owned by major integrated oil companies must make alternative fuels available by 2015.

Among the provisions that address global warming, the Clean EDGE Act of 2006 would require labeling of the annual output of greenhouse gas emission on all new vehicles sold. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector are the largest source of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions at 33 percent of total U.S. energy-related carbon emissions in 2004. Transportation sector emissions increased by 3.1 percent in 2004 relative to the 2003 levels. The Act also requires the Secretary of Energy with other agencies, to complete a study of the bills probable effects on greenhouse gas emissions and requires recommendations to the Act to ensure an overall reduction in total domestic greenhouse gas emissions.

Durbin noted that by promoting the use of alternate fuel sources, the bill will set in motion a technological and innovation boon that will help create jobs and expand economic opportunities, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

Clean EDGE Act of 2006 would also:

# Protect consumers by making price-gouging a federal crime; prohibits oil and gas companies from manipulating supplies to increase prices; and requires review of industry consolidation.
# Set a national standard requiring that 10% of all electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.
# Eliminate excessive tax breaks to major oil companies.
# Provide tax credit to low-income consumers and rural commuters.
# Expand existing incentives for consumers purchasing alternative fuel vehicles.

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=256425&&