Dear US Senators and Members of Congress
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Dear U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, As leaders in our communities concerned about the environmental impacts and economic consequences of our current energy practices, we urge you to back a rapid and steady transition to an economy powered by clean, renewable resources. Specifically, we are asking you to co-sponsor the Senate and House resolution which sets a goal of meeting America’s energy needs with 100 percent renewable energy and expanding access to the benefits of clean energy to all, including historically under-served and disadvantaged communities. Burning coal, oil and gas is polluting our air, water and land. It is harming our health and changing our climate even faster than scientists predicted. At the same time, low-income communities, communities of color, and indigenous people often bear a disproportionate share of the impact. We can have healthier, more vibrant communities and a livable future for kids growing up today. But to get there, we must transform the ways we produce and consume energy. That has to start with a commitment to 100 percent clean, renewable energy. We have already made significant progress. Thanks to local, state and federal programs, renewable energy is growing faster than anyone could have imagined. Clean energy is nearing a tipping point in our economy. Dozens of major corporations -- including General Motors, Apple, and Walmart -- have set goals to meet all of their energy needs with renewable energy. America has an opportunity to be a leader on clean energy, reaping the economic and environmental benefits inherent in the global transition. The progress we have seen recently should give us the confidence that we can take renewable energy to the next level. The good news is that there is a viable path to 100 percent renewable energy. America has virtually unlimited reserves of renewable energy from the wind, the sun, the earth and the oceans. We could meet our current electricity needs more than 100 times over with solar energy and more than 10 times over with wind energy. Similarly, a strong commitment to saving energy with building retrofits and other energy efficiency measures can reduce our overall energy use to 40 to 60 percent below current levels by 2050, even as our economy continues to grow. And, every day we see more evidence that electric vehicles and other transportation options will help us get where we need to go without using fossil fuels. We need to transform the way we power the country, and we still have a long way to go. That is why we are calling for swift action to transition to 100 percent renewable energy and to ensure that the transition to clean energy helps lift up low-income and minority communities that have suffered some of the worst impacts of pollution. Please cosponsor the House/Senate resolution to support a 100 percent renewable energy future. Sincerely, National Organizations Dryden Resource Awareness Leadership Conference of ACE: Alliance for Climate Coalition Women Religious Education Earth Action Inc. Nuclear Information and Amazon Watch Resource Service Earth Day Network America Unites for Kids Ocean Futures Society Earthjustice Association for the Tree of Office of Apostolic Action & Earthworks Life Advocacy, Christian Life Elders Climate Action Community-USA (CLC) Bold Alliance Emerald Cities Collaborative Partnership for Policy Catholic Network U.S. Integrity Environment America CAVU (Calm Air Visibility People’s Action Unlimited) Environmental Action Physicians for Social Center for Biological Environmental Working Responsibility Diversity Group Plastic Pollution Coalition Center for Environmental Food & Water Watch Health Polar Bears International Fossil Free Presbyterian Center for Food Safety Church (USA) Power Shift Network Center for Popular Friends of the Earth Public Citizen Democracy Green for All Rootskeeper.org Citizens United for Safe Climate Campaign Renewable Energy and GRID Alternatives Sustainability Health Care Without Harm Sierra Club Clean Air Council Healthy Home Healthy Planet Stop the Frack Attack Clean Air-Cool Planet ICLEI- Local Governments for SUN DAY Campaign Sustainability Clean Energy Action Sustainable Energy and Economy Network Clean Water Action Institute for Local Self- Reliance SustainUS Clean Water Alliance Interfaith Power & Light The Solutions Project Climate Action Now Jewish Climate Action Toxics Action Center Climate Law & Policy Project Network U.S. Climate Plan ClimateMama Kyoto U.S.A. Voices for Progress Climatetruth.org Labor Network for Sustainability Wilderness Watch Conscious Elders Network LEAD Agency, Inc Working Families Cool Planet Organization Local/State/Regional Organizations Conservation Voters New Environment Rhode Island Mexico 350 Bay Area Environment Texas Cooperative Energy Futures 350 Brooklyn Environment Virginia Don’t Gas the Pinelands 350 CT Environment Washington Eco-Justice Ministries 350 Lansing Environmental Defenders of Environment Arizona McHenry County 350 Louisiana - New Orleans Environment California Environmental Justice Task 350 Marin Force of the WNY Peace Environment Colorado 350 Missoula Center Environment Connecticut 350 New Mexico Environmental League of Environment Florida Massachusetts 350 San Francisco Environment Georgia First Unitarian Universalist 350 Silicon Valley Church of San Antonio Green Environment Illinois Sanctuary Team Association to Preserve Cape Cod, Inc. Environment Iowa Florida Institute for Reform and Empowerment Azul Environment Maine Floridians Against Fracking Berkshire Environmental Environment Maryland Action Team (BEAT) Environment Massachusetts Fossil Free California Better Future Project Environment Michigan Frack Free Four Corners Boston Catholic Climate Environment Minnesota Gas Free Seneca Movement Environment Missouri Grassroots Environmental California Environmental Education Justice Alliance Environment Montana Greater Edwards Aquifer Campaign for Renewable Environment Nevada Alliance Energy Environment New Hampshire Green Education and Legal Center for Regenerative Fund Community Solutions Environment New Jersey GreenLaw Coalition for Responsible Environment New Mexico Greentown Labs Siting of LNG Facilities Environment New York Hands Across the River Coastal Research and Environment North Carolina Education Society of Long Coalition, Inc. Environment Ohio Island Haverford College Environment Oregon Connecticut Coalition for Helotes Creek Nature Center Environmental Justice High Country Conservation Physicians for Social Sol-Reliant Advocates Responsibility Arizona South Coast Neighbors Intrenchment Creek Coalition United, Inc. Physicians for Social IOWA 350 Responsibility Harrisburg Southern Alliance for Clean Energy Iowa Citizens for Community Physicians for Social Improvement Responsibility Maine Chapter Southern Oregon Climate Action Now Iowa Interfaith Power & Light Physicians for Social Responsibility New Mexico Stop Northeast Energy Direct Lexington Global Warming Physicians for Social Action Coalition Responsibility New York Stop the West Roxbury Lateral Pipeline MassSolar Physicians for Social StopNED Multicultural Alliance for a Responsibility Oregon Safe Environment Physicians for Social Sustainable Lexington Nature Coast Conservation, Responsibility Philadelphia Sustainable Tompkins Inc. Physicians for Social Sustainable Upton New Energy Economy Responsibility San Francisco Bay Area Texas Drought Project New Hampshire Pipeline Awareness Network Physicians for Social The Environmental Justice Responsibility Washington Center at Chestnut Hill New Jersey Citizen Action United Church Physicians for Social New Jersey Highlands Responsibility- Wisconsin/WI The Lands Council Coalition Environmental Health The League of Women Network New Mexico Interfaith Power Voters of Florida & Light Pipe Line Awareness Transition Howard County Network for the Northeast No Canton Gas Pipeline Tucson Climate Action Progress Florida No Fracked Gas in Mass Network Renewable Energy Long No Sharon Gas Pipeline Unitarian Universalist Mass Island Action Network One Hundred Miles Resist the Pipeline Uranium Watch Oregon Environmental ReThink Energy Florida Council Watershed Alliance of Sandy San Geronimo Nature Center Springs Organize Now Save Our Springs Alliance WATERSPIRIT Our Santa Fe River, Inc. Save the Scenic Santa Ritas Western New York Peninsula Interfaith Climate Association Environmental Alliance Action Sierra Club, Lone Star Wisconsin Environment PennEnvironment Chapter Local Elected Officials Doug Von Gausig, Mayor of Daniel Biss, State Senator, Frank Hornstein, State Clarkdale, Arizona Illinois Senate Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives Isela Blanc, State Laura Fine, State Representative, Arizona Representative, Illinois Fue Lee, State House of Representatives House of Representatives Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives Joe Ramirez, Vice Mayor of El Will Guzzardi, State Mirage, Arizona Representative, Illinois Jim Carlson, State Senator, House of Representatives Minnesota Senate John Insalaco, Mayor of Apache Junction, Arizona Margaret R. Rotundo, State Jim Davnie, State Representative, Maine Representative, Minnesota Thomas K. Butt, Mayor of House of Representatives House of Representatives Richmond, California Jimmy Tarlau, State Karen Clark, State Christine Berg, Mayor of Delegate, Maryland House of Representative, Minnesota Lafayette, Colorado Delegates House of Representatives Sam Weaver, Council- Stephen Lafferty, State Raymond Dehn, State member of Boulder, Delegate, Maryland House of