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Schaumburg, IL—Environment Illinois launched a new campaign today calling on congressional candidates to support policies to move America beyond oil and toward a cleaner energy future.

“There is no question that we have the know-how to reduce our dependence on oil and move toward a cleaner, more secure energy future,” said LuCinda Hohmann, Field Associate with Environment Illinois.  “We need leaders who support moving America in a new direction that puts our national security, our environment, our global climate, and our children’s futures above Big Oil and other powerful interests,” continued Hohmann.

Environment Illinois is asking all congressional candidates to deliver on the promise of a New Energy Future by committing to support policies that help the U.S. achieve four key goals:

• Reduce U.S. dependence on oil by saving one-third of the oil we use today by 2025;
• Harness clean, renewable, homegrown energy sources for at least one quarter of all energy needs by 2025;
• Save energy with high performance homes, buildings and appliances so that by 2025 we use 10 percent less energy than we do today; and
• Invest in a New Energy Future by tripling research and development funding for the energy-saving and renewable technologies we need to achieve these goals.

These four points are strongly backed by a diverse coalition of environmental groups, labor unions, consumer groups, and small businesses.  George Tuhowski III, General Superintendent for a green building contracting company, addressed the economic benefits to energy efficiency.  “In addition to the benefits to the environment,” Tuhowski said, “green buildings can positively impact owners’ bottom lines by improving building performance, reducing cost streams associated with building operations, and providing healthier and more productive workspaces for employees.”

Addressing the economic benefits of renewable energy, President of Illinois Solar Energy Association Mark Burger comments, "If the high probability of our society suffering from the effects of global climate change doesn't alarm the public and decision makers, then consider the loss of jobs, businesses, energy security and trade balance we will face without an aggressive policy of incorporating solar, wind and other forms of renewable energy into our economy."

To demonstrate the potential payback from these solutions, Environment Illinois also released a report today showing the benefits of these policies to America’s environment, economy, and national security.  Environment Illinois found that achieving these goals, by 2025 would enable the United States to:

• Save 10.8 million barrels of oil per day, equal to four-fifths of the amount of oil we currently import from all other nations in the world.
• Save 9.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year, nearly twice as much as currently used in all of America’s homes.
• Save 900 million tons of coal per year, or about 80 percent of all the coal  consumed in the United States in 2005.
• Save 1.7 billion megawatt-hours of electricity per year, 30 percent more than was used in all the households in America in 2005.

“The potential payback from these efforts is tremendous,” said Hohmann.  “The result will be a cleaner, more sustainable foundation on which to build America’s economy for the 21st century,” continued Hohmann. 

Today, Environment Illinois specifically called on Congresswoman Melissa Bean and Candidate David McSweeney in the 8th Congressional district and Candidates Peter Roskam and Tammy Duckworth of the 6th Congressional district to support the goals of a New Energy Future. 

“Illinoisans want to put American innovation and ingenuity to work to solve our energy problems,” stated Hohmann.  “We have the technology to put ourselves on the path to a more sustainable energy future, now we just need the leadership to make it happen,” concluded Hohmann. 

Over the next six weeks, Environment Illinois will work with the other State Environment groups across the country to build support for the goals of the New Energy Future in more than 50 of the highest profile congressional races.

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