Keep Calling on Congress to Invest in Renewable Energy

By Environment Iowa

In less than two weeks, the 110th Congress will decide if they want to lead America toward a cleaner new energy future by investing in renewable energy or continue to give billions of dollars in handouts to oil companies.  

We've submitted over 5,000 petition signatures and placed hundreds of phone calls, but we need as many people as possible to get involved and help move our country toward a new energy future.  If you've already called your Representative, thank you!  Now you can help by forwarding this message to 5 friends asking them to help.  If you haven't called yet, there's still time.

You call your representative today at 1-866-699-9243. Just tell the operator where you're from, and they will connect you.

Here's a sample message you can leave:
"Hello, my name is _______ and I live in _______. I'm calling to urge Representative _______ to vote to stop the taxpayer handouts to the oil industry and invest in clean, renewable energy."

To report your call, click here, or paste this link into your web browser:

https://www.environmentiowa.org/action/new-energy-future/call-rep?id4=ES

Background

Oil Company Profits Continue to Skyrocket

Big oil companies are swimming in a sea of record-breaking profits while American consumers and taxpayers pay the price. In 2005, the world's biggest oil companies reported a combined $111 billion in profits. In the first three quarters of 2006 they reported more than $94 billion.

Some of the biggest oil company profits in 2005 were:
* ExxonMobil:  $36.1 billion
* Royal Dutch Shell: $25.3 billion
* BP: $22.3 billion
* ConocoPhillips: $13.5 billion
* Chevron Texaco $14.1 billion

Federal Handouts Lavish Billions on Oil and Gas Companies

Despite earning record profits, oil and gas companies continue to benefit from billions in handouts courtesy of American taxpayers. Between tax incentives, below-market fees for drilling on public lands, research and development subsidies and accounting gimmicks, these companies will receive more than $31.6 billion from the federal government over the next five years.

Specifically, these handouts break down as follows:
* Tax breaks: $16 billion
* Research and development subsidies: $1.8 billion
* Below-market fees for drilling on public lands: $9.5 billion
* Accounting gimmicks: $4.3 billion
* Total: $31.6 billion

Some of most outrageous handouts to Big Oil allows companies drilling for oil and natural gas on public lands to pay below-market fees, or royalties, for the resources they extract.  Oil companies are currently slated to shortchange taxpayers by $9.5 billion over the next five years.

Another giveaway allows oil companies to write off the costs of oil drilling and refining.  Together, these giveaways total more than $4 billion over the next 5 years.

The week of January 15, less than two weeks from now, Congress will vote on a bill to create a multi-billion dollar clean energy fund by cutting taxpayer handouts to the oil industry.  You can help by calling your representative today at 1-866-699-9243. Just tell the operator where you're from, and they will connect you.

Here's a sample message you can leave:
"Hello, my name is ____ and I live in _____. I'm calling to urge Representative ____ to vote to stop the taxpayer handouts to the oil industry and invest in clean, renewable energy."

To report your call, click here, or paste this link into your web browser:

https://www.environmentiowa.org/action/new-energy-future/call-rep?id4=ES

Sincerely,

Nathaniel Baer
Environment Iowa Advocate
NathanielB@EnvironmentIowa.org
http://www.EnvironmentIowa.org

P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.