Green Jobs

The email reply below is from Senator John Kerry in response to an email I sent to him.
Folks, Clean Energy is the only future we have.
Global Warming is the greatest single threat we face.

Thank you for contacting me about clean energy. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue.

Today we are presented with an economic opportunity of extraordinary proportions. The current energy economy is a $6 trillion market with 4 billion users – and the fastest growing segment of that is green energy – projected at $2.3 trillion in 2020. Yet as of today, by not making any different policy decisions, most of this investment will be in Asia, and not here in the United States.

I am proud to say that Massachusetts is leading the way in the transition to a clean energy economy. Through a range of policies including a renewable electricity standard (RES), energy efficient building codes, and incentives for consumers to purchase fuel efficient vehicles, Massachusetts is on track to meet the most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target of any state and create as many as 48,000 jobs in Massachusetts by 2020. It is now time for the federal government to follow our lead.

Now is the moment for America to build our new energy future – and, in doing so, create millions of steady, higher paying jobs at every level of the economy. Make no mistake - jobs that produce energy in America are jobs that stay in America. The amount of work to be done here is impressive and will be the work of many lifetimes. It must begin now.

That is why I am committed to promoting investment in clean energy jobs and industries, reducing costs through energy efficiency, freeing the United States from dependence on foreign oil, and promoting clean energy by retooling the infrastructure and workforce of the United States. I cosponsored legislation in the last Congress which requires utilities to generate 25 percent of their electricity from clean, renewable energy sources by 2025. By creating a national RES, this legislation would incentivize a range of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower. I also understand the importance of nuclear energy to our clean energy portfolio and I included support for nuclear energy in the American Power Act, comprehensive energy and climate legislation that Senator Lieberman and I worked on in the last Congress.

I believe Congress must come together to meet the defining test of our future. Please be assured that I will fight for responsible policies to ensure that America is a stronger, more powerful leader in the new energy economy.

Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about this or any other issue of importance to you.