WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Wildlife Federation and West Virginia Rivers Coalition urged lawmakers to include vital, emissions-reducing clean energy tax provisions in energy legislation the U.S. Senate will take up this week. The conservation organizations thanked U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) for their leadership in stewarding a bill to advance low-carbon energy research and development, but urged them to do more to deploy existing renewable energy technologies and efficiency, and to remove a problematic provision that could lead to reckless and dangerous mining that will threaten communities, wildlife and drinking water sources.

“We appreciate our senator acknowledging the need for climate action and pushing forward on technologies for cleaner energy production. This is a step in the right direction, and more is required to scale up efforts to stabilize climate. Now is the opportunity for expanded investments in energy efficiency as means for reducing emissions and lessening costs to our residents,” said Angie Rosser, executive director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition. “As we step forward, we also need to watch not to slip backwards. Provisions that increase and expedite hazardous mining can unravel progress toward protecting our health and environment.”

“To meet the climate challenge head-on, we need to quickly leverage every means possible to reduce carbon emissions, promote energy efficiency and get on the path to net-zero emissions. This bipartisan bill offers needed research into innovative, new clean technologies, but does not help deploy the climate solutions already available. Also, it includes a troubling provision that could lead to new mining operations that carry unacceptable risks for drinking water supplies that sustain people and wildlife alike,” said Laura Daniel Davis, the National Wildlife Federation’s chief of policy and advocacy. “For Senators Murkowski and Manchin to claim a climate victory, they should work to fix these problems and find a path forward on vital tax credits that will accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects across the nation.”