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Washington, DC:  Today the Obama Administration released its budget proposal for the 2011 fiscal year. The budget demonstrates President’s commitment to investing in clean energy and stopping global warming, building green infrastructure, reducing our use of dirty fossil fuels, and protecting America’s public lands and clean water.  

“President Obama’s 2011 budget proposal is a refreshing reminder of what it means to have a President who puts the public ahead of the polluters, and demonstrates his commitment to protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink and America’s most beautiful lands,” said Anna Aurilio, the Washington, DC Office Director of Environment America--the national federation that includes Environment North Carolina and 27 other state-based groups around the country.

Over the past year, despite massive opposition from Big Oil and coal companies, President Obama took significant steps toward a clean energy economy.   A year ago, the President made clean energy a cornerstone of his economic recovery plan, investing an unprecedented $80 billion in clean energy and green transportation.  These investments helped spur record growth in wind energy development in 2009 according to the American Wind Energy Association.

Environment America highlighted several items in the President’s budget proposal to reduce pollution and oil dependence and protect lands and waterways - while creating thousands of jobs building clean energy and green infrastructure:

Increasing investment in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency:

President Obama has proposed a 5% increase in funding for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program.  Included in the program is more than $300 million for solar energy research, development and deployment, which is a 22% increase over last year’s investment in solar.  The budget also proposes an additional $300 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program which assists low income consumers in weatherizing their homes, reducing energy-related pollution and lowering energy bills. According to the Department of Energy, $300 million invested in the Weatherization Assistance Program will create more than 22,000 jobs across the country.

Stopping global warming:

The President's budget explicitly articulates the Administration’s continued commitment to passing comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation to reduce global warming pollution and repower America with investments in clean energy.  The budget indicates that revenues from the policy will be used to invest in clean energy, put money back in the pockets of consumers, and to support adaption to the impacts of climate change both domestically and in developing countries.

Building a greener transportation system:

President Obama has consistently supported building a greener transportation system for America, including last week’s announcement of $8 billion worth of investments in high-speed rail from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The administration’s budget increases investments in transit, rail and sustainable communities that, if implemented, will save as much gasoline as is used by 7 million cars in a year and create at least another 20,000 jobs building high-speed rail.

Cutting tax breaks for oil and coal:

The proposed budget would repeal 12 different tax loopholes for oil and coal.  Burning coal and oil is the largest sources of global warming, smog and soot pollution in the United States. Cutting these tax loopholes will generate $39 billion in revenues over the next decade.

Protecting public lands:

President Obama’s budget includes significant increases in funding for land acquisition and outdoor recreation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Fund is used for acquiring and protecting lands for public use, and has been integral in establishing and protecting many of America’s most treasured landscapes from California’s Redwood National Park to portions of the Appalachian Trail. The Fund was designed to receive $900 million annually from oil and gas royalties, but has received full funding only once in 45 years of operation.  The administration’s budget proposes a significant increase in funding to $620 million. 

Protecting America’s communities and clean water:

President Obama’s budget proposal continues investments in water infrastructure, restoring waterways, and increased investments in cleaning up toxic waste sites through the Superfund program. The proposed budget would provide $3.3 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which would create an estimated 66,000 new jobs.  The budget also calls for reinstating the Superfund fee to fund cleanup of the country’s most hazardous waste sites.

In addition to these steps forward, Environment America urged opposition to increased support for new nuclear power plants.  The budget includes a tripling of loan guarantees – to $54 billion – for nuclear power plants.  Environment America’s recent report Generating Failure: How Building Nuclear Power Plants Would Set America Back in the Race Against Global Warming (click here for report) shows that far from being a solution to global warming, nuclear power will actually set America back in the race to reduce pollution and convert to clean energy.

“From investments in solar energy to helping communities provide clean water, this budget is a serious down payment on a cleaner, greener future,” said Aurilio.  “We urge Congress to enact the clean energy, green transportation, land protection and clean water recommendations, but reject risky nuclear loan guarantees that will set us back in the race to reduce global warming pollution,” she added.

For additional information please contact Environment North Carolina's federal office at (202) 683-1250:

On Clean Energy: Sean Garren, Clean Energy Advocate, Seang@environmentamerica.org

On Transportation: Rob McCulloch, Transportation Advocate, Robm@environmentamerica.org

On Drilling and Fossil Fuels: Mike Gravitz, Oceans Advocate, Mikeg@environmentamerica.org

On Public Lands and Preservation: Alison Adams, Preservation Associate, Aadams@environmentamerica.org

On Clean Water: Piper Crowell, Clean Water Advocate, Piperc@environmentamerica.org