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Seth Moulton on Energy & Oil

Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrawn); MA Rep.

 


Need to make climate change a top priority

We need to make clean energy more cost-effective than coal for developing countries.

We should also rejoin the Paris Climate Accord immediately, and we must also go further. If we hope to not only save the planet but also remain the economic and diplomatic leaders of it, we need to make climate change a top priority in our investment, foreign policy, and national security decisions. And we must do so now before it's too late.

Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary , Jul 30, 2019

Get started on stopping climate change

Q: Do you think it's possible for the next president to stop climate change?

A: "Is it possible to fix it in the term of one presidency? Probably not, but we can get started in the right direction."

Source: 2019 "Meet the Candidates" (NY Times.com) , Jun 18, 2019

Green New Deal addresses climate change AND changed economy

We're facing two primary challenges in this country right now. The first is that our economy is changing faster than ever before, and Americans everywhere are being left behind. The second is climate change. That's why we need a Green New Deal: because if we do it right, we can solve both problems at once.

The Green New Deal needs to be built around green jobs and clean energy, decarbonization and breakthrough technologies, and access to green energy for the developing world--and America should lead the way in winning this moral and economic opportunity. We can lead the world in green tech and green jobs, and we should set the standards for other countries to follow.

The New Deal paved the way for a strong economy and American leadership in the last century. Let's shape the Green New Deal to help America lead this one.

Source: 2020 Presidential Campaign website SethMoulton.com , May 2, 2019

Member of the Climate Solutions Caucus in Congress

"Climate change is real," he says on his congressional website. He is a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus. He hopes the U.S. can one day move toward energy independence. He supported President Obama's Clean Climate Agenda and opposes President Trump's executive order on the environment, which he says shows "a complete disregard for facts and science."
Source: CNN Town Hall with 2020 presidential hopefuls , Apr 23, 2019

50% carbon-free electricity by 2030

He signed a 2016 initiative for the U.S. to use 50% clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030.
Source: Axios.com "What you need to know about 2020" , Apr 22, 2019

Firm leadership to lessen greenhouse gas emissions

Congress needs firm leadership to lessen GHG emissions & to hold private companies accountable for environmental degradation while still encouraging economic growth. With the proper structures & incentives, businesses should be advocates for environmenta stewardship and innovation, not opponents.

Climate change is the most important global issue we face today. It is Congress' job to ensure that the US is taking an active role in advancing a strong agenda to mitigate climate change and its effects.

Source: 2014 House campaign website, SethMoulton.com , Sep 1, 2014

Supports regulating CO2, according to PVS rating.

Moulton supports the PVS survey question on greenhouse gas regulation

Project VoteSmart infers summary responses from campaign statements and news reports The PVS survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?'

Source: Project VoteSmart Inferred Survey 14-PVS-q8 on Sep 30, 2014

Voted YES on banning offshore oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico.

Moulton voted YEA Interior & Environment Agencies Appropriations

Congressional Summary: House amendment to H.R. 5538, the Interior & Environment Agencies Appropriations bill for FY 2017. This amendment would prohibit funds to be used to research, investigate, or study offshore drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Area of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Heritage Foundation recommends voting NO: (7/13/2016): The Gulf of Mexico continues to be a very important asset for our energy future and it continues to produce significant amounts of oil and natural gas. Yet the Eastern Gulf of Mexico has not participated to this point despite its significant potential. A 2014 Heritage Foundation report said: `Excessive regulations and bureaucratic inefficiencies have stymied oil production and prevented the full effects of the energy boom.` This amendment would block any potential progress that could take place by preventing the necessary work that would need to be prepared in the East Gulf for potential lease sales and eventual production.

Sierra Club recommends voting YES: (1/12/1974): The Sierra Club believes that no offshore petroleum exploration should occur unless and until the following conditions are met:

Legislative outcome: Failed House 185 to 243 (no Senate vote).

Source: Congressional vote 16-H5538B on Jul 13, 2016

50% clean and carbon free electricity by 2030.

Moulton co-sponsored H.Res.637/S.Res.386

Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should establish a national goal of more than 50 percent clean and carbon free electricity by 2030 for the purposes of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, growing our economy, increasing our shared prosperity, improving public health, and preserving our national security.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should--
  1. Establish a national goal of more than 50 percent clean and carbon free electricity by 2030; and
  2. Enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy to meet this goal.
Source: Resolution for 50% Carbon-Free Electricity by 2030 16-HRes637 on Mar 3, 2016

Green New Deal: 10-year national mobilization.

Moulton co-sponsored the Resolution on Green New Deal

This resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of:

The resolution calls for accomplishment of these goals through a 10-year national mobilization effort. The resolution also enumerates the goals and projects of the mobilization effort, including:
  • building smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods);
  • upgrading all existing buildings and constructing new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency;
  • removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors;
  • cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites;
  • ensuring businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and
  • providing higher education, high-quality health care, and affordable, safe, and adequate housing to all.

    Opposing argument from the Cato Institute, 2/24/2019: While reasonable people can disagree on some aspects of the Green New Deal`s proposals, one fact is uncontroversial: the US cannot afford them. The Green New Deal would likely cost upwards of $6.6 trillion per year. The federal government should look for cheaper ways to address problems like climate change. Instead of the Green New Deal, the federal government could adopt a revenue??neutral carbon tax to decrease emissions without exacerbating the fiscal imbalance. Economists from across the political spectrum support carbon taxation as the most cost??effective way to address climate change. And a carbon tax would be most effective if uniformly adopted by other countries, too.

    Source: H.Res.109/S.Res.59 19-HR0109 on Feb 7, 2019

    Voted YES to assist rural electric renewable energy.

    Moulton voted YEA Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act

    Congressional Summary:This bill requires the Department of Energy to award grants to assist rural electric cooperatives with identifying, evaluating, and designing energy storage and microgrid projects that rely on renewable energy. (A microgrid is a group of interconnected energy resources that acts as a single controllable entity and that can disconnect from the grid to operate in island mode.)

    SciPol statement in support: HR4447 would establish a microgrid grant and technical assistance program for rural electric cooperatives. Rural electric cooperatives are non-profit consumer-owned electric cooperatives that came into being in the 1930s to serve the needs of rural areas otherwise ignored by investor-owned (for-profit) utilities. Most rural electric power is still provided by rural electric co-ops.

    Trump`s Statement of Administration Policy (against): HR 4447 would implement a top-down approach that undermines the Administration`s deregulatory agenda. HR 4447 would lead to higher energy costs and discourage innovation. It would create a `green bank` that would subsidize projects similar to wellknown failures like Solyndra. Finally, HR 4447 would interfere with our own energy destiny free from the reins of the Paris Climate Accord and international organizations that ignore the clear lessons that have led to American energy independence.

    Common Dreams (against): Over 100 groups--including major environmental, climate and progressive organizations--oppose HR 4447. The heaviest burdens of the climate crisis fall on low-income communities and communities of color. `We applaud the environmental justice measures in this bill, but cannot support legislation that extends our country`s reliance upon fossil fuels,` said the Executive Director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

    Legislative outcome: Passed House 220-185-24, Roll #206 on Sep. 24, 2020.

    Source: Congressional vote 20-HR4447 on Sep 20, 2019

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