Update from the Director

As our nation’s leaders have focused on federal deficit reduction, many have taken the narrow view that we can save money by cutting funding for programs that protect our air and water, develop clean energy technologies, support energy efficiency retrofits, and improve energy and transportation infrastructure. Yes, these programs cost money. But any reasonable discussion of costs must also consider benefits.

What will we pay in health costs if we allow polluters to go unregulated? Where will America stand in the global economy if China, Europe, and others grow their lead on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies? Will American businesses remain competitive if they are paying for wasted energy?

On the other hand, the coal, oil, and natural gas industries – which receive billions of dollars in government subsidies – come with many negative health, ecosystem, climate change, and national security impacts. As the Congressional “super committee” works to identify $1.5 trillion in spending cuts this fall, it should give a serious look to eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. To help inform the debate, EESI has published a paper to explain some of the harder-to-measure indirect subsidies afforded to the fossil fuel industry; the subsidies examined in this paper alone likely will amount to nearly $50 billion over the next decade.

As you will read in our EESI Update newsletter, this paper is one of many ways EESI educates Congress and stakeholders on the true costs and benefits of our energy choices. EESI believes that a healthy economy and a healthy environment go hand-in-hand. Through briefings, conference presentations, publications, and personal meetings, we are providing non-partisan information and policy advice on issues such as energy-efficient buildings, sustainable bioenergy, shale gas fracking, climate change, and more.

I encourage you to share our work with your friends, colleagues, and elected officials. Now more than ever, we need to advocate for decision-making based on sound science, non-partisan research, and broad-based collaboration. Thank you for your support!

Carol Werner
Executive Director