(Phoenix, AZ, Thursday, November 18, 2021) – This week Congress is expected to vote on the Build Back Better Plan. This plan is good news for Arizona. Combined with the clean energy investments from the bi-partisan infrastructure deal just signed into law, Build Back Better will help Arizonians save money, create jobs, and improve health. And the plan will curb the impacts of climate change that are causing water-shortages, heat waves, and fires across the state. The Environmental Defense Fund believes there is no time to waste in passing this deal.
Kevin Moran, senior director of water policy and state affairs for EDF has more.
SOUNDBITE #1:
WELL FROM OUR POCKETBOOKS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, BUILD BACK BETTER IS A WIN-WIN. PASSING OF THE BILL CAN SAVE ARIZONA HOUSEHOLDS UP TO FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS A YEAR ON ENERGY BILLS. AND THE CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENTS AND TAX CREDITS WILL DRIVE DOWN THE COSTS OF CLEAN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION AND CREATE JOBS ACROSS OUR STATE. NOW THIS IS A PROVEN TREND WE’VE SEEN BEFORE. FOR EXAMPLE THE COST OF SOLAR ENERGY DROPPED NINETY PERCENT IN THE TEN YEARS AFTER THE LAST MAJOR FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN CLEAN ENERGY. WIND COSTS DROPPED SEVENTY PERCENT.
SOUNDBITE #2:
EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, THESE CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENTS WILL HELP ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS THAT ARE CAUSING WATER SHORTAGES, DRAUGHT, EXTREME WEATHER, AND WILDFIRES ACROSS OUR STATE. THE MORE CLEAN ENERGY WE USE, THE MORE WE CAN REVERSE THE CLIMATE CHANGE TIDE. BUILD BACK BETTER MEANS A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL IN ARIZONA.
For more information, go to edf.org/powerupamerica.
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One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 2.5 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action. Connect with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund.