Green Living Tips 02.23.09

A Green-Tinged Stimulus Bill

The $787 billion economic-recovery bill looks good in terms of green spending, according to preliminary analysis from the Center for American Progress. 
 
The bill contains at least $62.2 billion in direct spending on green initiatives and $20 billion in green tax incentives, while funding for nuclear and coal projects was dropped from the final version.  The breakdown includes close to $18.9 billion for Energy transmission and alternative energy research; $21.8 billion for Energy Efficiency; $17.4 billion in Mass transit and advanced automobiles; and $500 million for Green jobs training. 

The Senate version of the bill had contained $4.6 billion for the research and development of carbon-capture-and-sequestration (CCS) technologies for coal-fired power plants and $50 billion in loan guarantees for the nuclear industry, but that funding appears to have been dropped entirely, to the delight of enviros.

“This is a huge win, for our planet and for taxpayers who want stimulus funds to be invested wisely,” said Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder.  “The bailout in question would have thrilled nuclear industry lobbyists but done virtually nothing to stimulated the economy.  Congressional leaders did the right thing and prevented waste by removing this bailout.” 

It’s rare for a compromise to make a bill better, but that’s what happened yesterday,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters.  “According to the reports we’ve seen, the members of the Conference Committee kept the best aspects of the House and Senate versions of the bill.  Tens of billions of dollars for clean energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, scientific research and a smart energy grid remain.  Tens of billions set to be wasted on coal and other outdated energy sources were removed.