Cutting Excessive Subsidies To Oil And Gas Companies

Taking a step in the right direction on clean energy, on Jan. 18 the U.S. House approved the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007. We strongly supported the measure, which would repeal $14 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for the oil industry and invest the money in clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. We’re urging the Senate to pass the bill as well.

The clean energy fund could be used to offer consumers incentives to purchase energy-efficient products, expand research and development into new technologies, and extend tax credits to promote the development of such renewable energy projects as wind farms. These projects will protect our health and environment from the effects of fossil-fuel generated power, and save consumers money at the same time.

As part of our New Energy Future campaign, NMPIRG and other state PIRGs helped promote the legislation, which was included in Speaker Pelosi’s “first 100 hours” agenda. We lobbied House members, mobilized 70 citizen lobbyists to talk to members of Congress about energy issues, and delivered the petition signatures of 25,000 of our members and supporters to the Capitol.