FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1, 2002 CONTACT: Wendy Balazik, 202-675-2383 SIERRA CLUB RUNS ADS ASKING SENATORS TO SUPPORT A CLEAN, SAFE AND MORE SECURE ENERGY FUTURE Washington, DC: The Sierra Club is running radio ads this week in eight states asking Senators to support an energy bill that reduces our dependence on oil and protects special places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Sierra Club expressed disappointment that the Senate chose not to require Detroit to make more technologically advanced and fuel efficient vehicles. The ads are running in Arizona, Michigan, Indiana, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Maine, and Iowa. The ad notes that America needs "to loosen the grip oil-producing nations have on us, to make responsible plans for the future that employ better technology and American know-how to decrease our dependence on oil." The ad calls on Senators to fix the current energy bill, which does nothing to reduce our dependence on oil, and could sacrifice special places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. "The energy bill is unacceptable in its current form," said Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club. "As it stands now, the Senate energy bill does nearly nothing to reduce our consumption of foreign oil, to increase our energy security, to protect families from electricity price gouging, or to safeguard our environment." The Senate energy bill began as a promising vehicle for meeting our nation's energy needs. However, many of the oil-saving measures were removed. Senators voted against raising corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, which is the single biggest step we can take to reduce our dependence on oil and improve our energy security. Senators also rejected a measure that would have increased the amount of electricity produced by clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power, replacing it with an amendment that does little to promote renewable energy. The Sierra Club is hopeful the Senate will work to safeguard the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and our other natural treasures, reduce America's oil consumption by one million barrels a day, guarantee that at least 10 percent of our electricity supplies come from renewable energy resources, ensure that electricity consumers will not be ripped off by more Enrons, and reduce rather than increase pollution of our air, water and land. "The Senate missed a major chance to move our nation forward, to use technology and American know-how to make real progress in reducing our oil dependence, saving consumers money, and cutting global warming pollution," continued Pope. "Critical amendments remain and there is still a chance that the Senate will take the right road. Unless the bill is fixed, it's unacceptable as energy policy." # # # Sample script to follow. To receive a copy of the ad, please contact Wendy Balazik at 202-675-2383. Starting April 1, 2002, the ad can be seen at http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/media/. Sierra Club Radio :60 "What the World Needs Now"-Michigan March 26, 2002 On September 12th we hugged each other harder, and looked with new eyes at our families, our fellow Americans, and the future. And we realized we needed to loosen the grip oil-producing nations have on us, to make responsible plans for the future that employ better technology and American know-how to decrease our dependence on insecure sources of oil. But instead of supporting a 21st century energy plan, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow bowed to the auto-industry lobbyists and chose not to require Detroit to make more technologically advanced and fuel efficient vehicles. Please call Senators Levin and Stabenow at 202-224-3121. Tell them that an energy bill that does nothing to reduce our dependence on oil, or that sacrifices special places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is just unacceptable. Ask them to vote for a cleaner, cheaper, safer energy plan -- for our families, for our future. Paid for by the Michigan Chapter of Sierra Club. Erin Jordahl Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280 Des Moines, IA 50310 515-277-8868 [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]