Town Hall With Leonard Lance to Explore Energy Issues

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel, Chapter Director April 10, 2009 (609) 558-9100

Grace Sica, Outreach Coordinator

    (609) 656-7612

Town Hall with Leonard Lance To Explore Energy Issues

Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-7) will join environmental organizations, business leaders and labor unions at a "Repower America" town hall event to explore renewable energy and its impact on the economy. The town hall will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 18 at the Town of Clinton Municipal Building, 43 Leigh Street, Clinton.

The focus of the town hall will be to explore how renewable energy sources such as wind and solar can protect the environment, grow the economy, cut our dependence on foreign oil and create thousands of green jobs. Some of the groups collaborating to present the event include NJ Sierra Club, Environment New Jersey, NJ Environmental Federation and the Blue Green Alliance.

"Like many of my colleagues in Congress, I believe our nation must do more to promote clean domestic energy and fight climate change," Congressman Lance said. "I am looking forward to working with "Repower America" to find energy solutions right here at home to boost supplies of all forms of American-made renewable energy to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, create American jobs and grow our economy."

In addition to Congressman Lance, town hall speakers will include: Jeff Tittel, Director of the NJ Sierra Club; Dan Aronson, Economics Professor at Raritan Valley Community College; Pam Frank of Sun Farm Network; and Adam Liebtag of Communication Workers of America Local 1034.

"Green equals green. We can both protect the environment and grow our economy," Tittel said. "This forum is about how we can lead and what we can do to help deal with climate change as well as grow our economy."

"We are pleased that Congressman Lance will be there," Tittel said. "He has always been a real leader for both the environment and economic growth, so it is a privilege to be here with him."

This hearing comes at a critical time as leaders in Washington begin to map an energy future for America. From the green economic recovery package to an energy bill to cap-and-invest legislation, our legislators are considering a range of solutions to the challenges our country faces on many fronts.

"Global warming is the crisis that won't go away, and we need Congress to follow New Jersey's lead to reduce emissions and endorse the green economy," said Doug O'Malley, field director for Environment New Jersey. "Congressman Lance has always been an environmental champion for New Jersey, and we'll need him to stand up for global warming legislation."

The urgent problems facing our economy, environment, and energy future are all inter-related. In order to address the climate crisis and spur economic recovery, we must make the transition to green energy sources. It is only through clean energy technologies, like wind and solar, that we will reduce global warming pollution while creating millions of new jobs.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming fueled by man-made carbon emissions is already driving up temperatures and leading to stronger storms, deeper droughts, and rising sea levels.

To avoid the worst effects of climate change, scientists recommend cutting global warming pollution right now and getting on a path to cut emissions at least 80 percent by 2050. Congress is expected consider legislation this year to create a cap-and-invest system that would limit emissions and promote clean energy, develop efficient technologies, and protect our natural resources.

For more information on this event contact Grace Sica, (609) 656-7612 or grace.sica_at_sierraclub.org

Kara Seymour, Program Assistant NJ Sierra Club

145 W. Hanover Street Trenton, NJ 08618

609.656.7612

(f) 609.656.7618

<http://www.newjersey.sierraclub.org> www.newjersey.sierraclub.org

Received on 2009-04-10 09:09:16

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