Repowering America with clean energy
Ambitious goals in 2009 and beyond
During the 2007 legislative session, Environment
New Mexico and coalition partners
won an expansion of the state’s current
renewable energy standard, requiring New
Mexico utilities to generate 20 percent of
their power from renewable sources by
2020. And we won the addition of a Clean
Cars standard to reduce oil consumption
and global warming emissions. Then, in
October, the clean energy tax credits that we
helped push, with our national federation,
Environment America, finally became law.
Now we’ve turned our attention to making
sure that the new president and Congress
pass a comprehensive energy plan that will
cut dependence on oil and reduce global
warming. Together with our allies, we’re
getting behind a bold plan to repower
America. We’re calling for 100 percent
renewable electricity; an 80 percent reduction
in global warming pollution; and a 50
percent reduction in oil use.
Saving energy through high-performance
and even zero-energy homes and businesses
can cut energy use by at least 30 percent.
Energy efficiency is the fastest and cheapest
way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels,
but we also need new sources of clean,
renewable homegrown energy. Even with
existing technology, solar and wind power
in the Southwest and across America could
provide the power we need to meet our
electricity needs.
Political momentum
Environment New Mexico and its national
federation, Environment America, worked
to persuade then President-elect Barack Obama and incoming members of the
111th Congress to commit to our bold plan.
We laid the groundwork by going door-to-door
and activating our e-mail list to build
support. And, right after the election, we
released “Renewing America,” a report
laying out a blueprint for how to rebuild
our economy on a sound foundation of
clean energy.
Politically, the winds of change are blowing
in our direction. President Obama pledged
during this campaign to invest $150 billion
in renewable energy. As candidates for the
seats they now hold, Sen. Tom Udall (N.M.)
and Reps. Ben Ray Luján (N.M.-3), Harry
Teague (N.M.-2), Martin Heinrich (N.M.-1)
and many others made investment in clean
energy a centerpiece of their campaigns.
