California's Early Actors on Clean Energy to Benefit Under Today's Unveiled Fed Climate Bill

Aside from the direct damage the oil companies are attempting to do to California’s economy (and global climate catastrophe) with their multimillion-dollar attempted repeal of AB32, it turns out that it would also hit many of California’s clean energy pioneers in the pocketbook.

That’s because, if their measure passes when it comes before California voters this November, it will also mean taking away economic rewards that California businesses would have been be eligible to receive through the new federal climate policy that Senators Kerry and Lieberman unveiled today.

[social_buttons]

The Federal climate bill APA – American Power Act – has benefits for early adopters of clean energy technology; such as businesses that put solar on their roofs, or that add more energy- efficient technology to green up their production lines.

According to the American Power Act rolled out today, early actions taken to reduce energy and greenhouse gas pollution will be officially recognized by the federal program.

In many instances, California businesses would then be eligible to receive compensation for investments already made to reduce pollution, according to the bill summary rolled out this morning.  As California’s transition to clean energy continues, our state’s residents and businesses will continue to benefit from growing clean tech investment and jobs creation in this area.

Even those businesses that put in clean power simply by using the services of the many commercial solar PPAs out there – thus at no upfront cost to the business itself – would also likely be eligible for some benefit.

And of course, this will not just apply to California businesses. Early-bird clean energy adopters across the nation will be eligible for compensation too.

But in the other states, oil companies are not actively trying to rob them of that opportunity, by fooling their more gullible voters – even on the national public airwaves that taxpayers support – into voting against their best interests.

Image: Flikr user flowrzrock

Source: Environmental Defense Fund