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After months of debate, Congress is poised to act on the final conference report for a dirty, expensive energy bill that threatens America’s special places, encourages pollution and hands over billions in taxpayer dollars to big energy companies. The conference report currently includes proposals that would:

• Gives a taxpayer-funded holiday to big oil, gas, coal and nuclear companies. The bill contains an array of subsidies and tax incentives for polluters, which could total more than $20 billion when the final bill is completed.  The handouts include ones that would promote the burning of coal, suspend royalty payments for offshore drilling, and subsidize the construction of a new nuclear reactor in Idaho.
• Shield the manufacturers of the hazardous gasoline additive MTBE from product liability lawsuits.  This chemical has polluted groundwater supplies in numerous states, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that it could cost $29 billion to clean up contaminated water.  Taxpayers and consumers would be forced to pick up this tab under the current proposal.
• Makes gas and oil drilling the predominant use of our western public lands.  This proposal would turn the longstanding “multiple use” philosophy on its head, prioritizing energy development over other uses of our public lands including recreation, conservation, wildlife habitat and even grazing and ranching.
• Abandon a broadly supported proposal to require 10 percent of the energy utilities generate to come from renewable sources by 2020.  The conference committee has walked away from bipartisan support of a “renewable portfolio standard,” even though it was included in the Senate energy bill and 53 senators wrote a letter urging its inclusion in the final deal.
• Threatens our water supply.  The bill includes a proposal to exempt the oil and gas industry from requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, allowing them to inject diesel fuel and other harmful chemicals into the ground without regard for their impact on drinking water.  The bill also exempts these industries from requirements of the Clean Water Act.

Take action! Send a message to your members of Congress, urging them to oppose this dirty, dangerous energy bill.