A disparate coalition of nongovernmental organizations announced Monday they would join together to promote a three-pronged “Clean Energy Commitment.”
The initiative aims to support energy policy reform in the following areas: Making companies responsible for the effects of carbon pollution they produce; freeing taxpayers from subsidizing coal and other “energy sources of the past”; and eliminating government rules that restrict access to clean energy options, such as restrictions on recouping homeowner investment in such energy sources or selling surplus power to utilities.
“By encouraging renewables like wind and solar, increasing energy efficiency and ending unfair energy policies, we can dramatically reduce harmful pollution,” according to the Clean Energy Commitment website. “We believe taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay subsidies for energy companies that make billions in profit — and then again for the damage done by pollution.”
Participating organizations are the Environmental Defense Fund, American Security Project, Christian Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, Young Conservatives for Energy Reform, Mom’s Clean Air Force, and Defend Our Future.
They announced the formation of this new initiative with ads Monday in Politico and the Wall Street Journal, Politico reported.
The Clean Energy Commitment resulted from conversations among a number of organizations on how to prepare bold, bipartisan policy proposals, spokesman Keith Gaby said. The participating groups now hope to draw in other organizations to the coalition, and then to talk with members of Congress and local and state officials in hopes of building support for their goals.
