Sen. Alexander Praised And Challenged

May 6, 2008

Opinion

Sen. Alexander Praised And Challenged
posted May 3, 2008

On Wednesday, April 30, Sen. Lamar Alexander was honored by the nation's
largest scientific association, the American Chemical Society, for helping to
create "a national agenda to enhance U.S. innovation and competitiveness."

I want to congratulate and challenge Sen. Alexander.

I congratulate him on his awareness of and commitment to keeping the
spirit of innovation and competitiveness alive. This is the same awareness
and commitment he showed when he proposed, and the Senate's
Environment and Public Works Committee accepted, his Low Carbon Fuel
Standard (LCFS) amendment to the Lieberman-Warner climate bill know as
America's Climate Security Act. A similar LCFS is credited with helping
California make significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas vehicle
pollution and improving air quality.

I want to challenge Sen.
Alexander to bring that
same awareness and
commitment to the
growing challenge of
climate change and the
absolutely urgent need to
develop new and promote
existing techniques for
generating and
conserving energy. He
can make this
commitment in a real way
by signing on as a
co-sponsor, speaking in
favor of, and voting for
the Lieberman-Warner bill when the Senate considers it this summer.

While the bill is not perfect, it will start the U.S. on the long road to
stabilizing our climate and is a truly concrete way Sen. Alexander can honor
his commitment to preserve and protect Tennessee's natural heritage and
to ensure that future generations will have a hospitable world in which to
grow and thrive.

Rev. Douglas Hunt
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy