ECC Coalition Applauds Release of Reid Energy Legislation

The following statement is from the Energy and Climate Change Coalition regarding legislation introduced by Senate Majority Leader Reid.

The Energy and Climate Change (ECC) Coalition applauds Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and his colleagues for their hard work and leadership in developing a bipartisan proposal for national energy policy and job creation. ECC is a broad coalition of organizations representing people of color, low/fixed income persons and minority-owned business on matters related to energy and climate policy. The members of this coalition and the communities they represent have coalesced around two key concerns related to energy and climate policy:

1) containment and mitigation of energy costs, particularly for vulnerable communities that spend a disproportionately higher share of their incomes on energy; and

2) job creation in minority communities and expanded economic opportunities for minority-owned businesses.

The ECC Coalition members agree that any energy and climate program must include:

Measures to reduce and mitigate cost impacts to low/fixed-income consumers;

Policies that create jobs and ensure small business opportunities for minorities in the energy and clean technology sectors, including federal and state incentives and requirements to promote diversity in hiring, procurement, contracting and access to capital.

Education and training programs to prepare minorities for careers and business ownership in the array of services and technologies necessary to develop and deliver cleaner, more diverse, domestic energy sources.
Public awareness and outreach initiatives aimed at developing energy efficiency and conservation programs for minority and low- and fixed-income communities, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Resources and incentives for vulnerable communities to help them adapt to climate change impacts and transition to lower-carbon economies, while ensuring environmental justice protections.

The ECC Coalition plans to examine the proposal closely in the coming days and weeks, with a focus on the opportunities and implications for people of color and low/fixed income persons. This perspective is one that is not often directly represented at the decision making table. We look forward to working with Senator Reid, his colleagues in the Senate and other Members of Congress and the White House, to shape this important legislation and to make our voice heard.