Stimulus Bill Will Lead to Clean Energy Future

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a bill that recognizes the vital role clean energy can play in driving economic recovery. The bill makes an important down payment on solutions that will transform America’s economy and lead to a clean energy future that will benefit generations to come.

President Obama and the House have laid out a bold plan for stimulating our struggling economy by investing in clean energy technologies and green jobs. These initiatives are a win-win for a strong economy and a healthier environment. By focusing on critical investments in repair and modernization of infrastructure, and boosting production of renewable energy, they will create good jobs here in America and reduce our dependence on dirtier energy sources like oil and coal.

This bill got stronger each step of the way as it moved through the House of Representatives, and we are particularly pleased with the additional $3 billion the House voted to allocate to public transit. With this amendment, the bill now invests more than $14 billion in transit, creating thousands of new good jobs building critical green infrastructure.

The House has now set a high bar and as this bill moves to the Senate, it is vitally important that we see even more of these kinds of improvements. Focus must remain on investing in newer, cleaner, more efficient technology and not wasting money on costly, business-as-usual approaches like new coal plants or “highways to nowhere.”