EDF Applauds President Obama

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org
Tony Kreindler, 202-445-8108, tkreindler@edf.org

(Washington, DC – June 15, 2010) President Obama tonight challenged the U.S. Senate to make passage of clean energy legislation a priority, significantly boosting the prospects of a bill reaching his desk this year. The President reiterated his support for comprehensive climate and energy legislation like that passed by the House last year, and also indicated that he is open to new ideas from both parties.

“The President has challenged the Senate to be smart instead of shortsighted,” said Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund. “It’s now up to Senators to stand up to the oil companies and move aggressively to clean up this mess: the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and the billions of American dollars flowing to the Middle East.

“We need to hold the oil industry accountable for the pollution they cause in our water and air. Success will be judged by whether the Senate takes the shortsighted route pushed by oil lobbyists, or whether it passes a serious bill that cuts pollution, reduces our dependence on oil, and creates new jobs.”

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Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.