Michigan Businesses Praise Senators for Voting Against ‘Big Oil Bailout’

Levin, Stabenow oppose plan to increase oil dependence, gut Clean Air Act

LANSING, MI - Friday, June 11, 2010 – Michigan Businesses for Clean Energy today praised U.S. Sens. Carl Levin (D-Detroit) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) for opposing a measure that would have increased U.S. dependence on oil and gutted the Clean Air Act.

“This measure would have been a step backward for all the good Michigan businesses that are working toward building a clean energy future for our state and creating jobs for our workers,” said David McKinney, CEO of MBCE member Clean Light Green Light. “Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow know that we need to break our dependence on dirty energy and invest in clean technologies. We thank our senators for voting against this misguided plan that would have taken us in the wrong direction.”

Levin and Stabenow voted against S.J.R. 26, a measure introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that would have overturned the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases. The measure, in part, would have rescinded emissions standards for vehicles made through 2016, which were set this year by the EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation. Murkowski’s resolution has been dubbed the “Big Oil Bailout” because it would have increased dependence on oil and increased fuel costs.

Murkowski’s resolution would have increased Michigan ’s dependence on oil by more than 16 million gallons and cost Michigan consumers $43 million at the gas pump in 2016, according to an analysis released this week by Environment Michigan. The measure failed on a vote of 53 to 47.

Michigan Businesses for Clean Energy is a business council formed to push for comprehensive clean energy legislation, which will create Michigan jobs and help rebuild Michigan ’s economy. The council is made up of businesses and business leaders representing a broad range of industry and commercial sectors in Michigan ’s economy.

For more information on MBCE, visit www.MiCleanEnergyNow.biz. MBCE also can be found on Facebook and Twitter.