LATINO LEADERS HIGHLIGHT PRIORITIES IN SENATE CLEAN ENERGY JOBS AND OIL SPILL ACCOUNTABILITY LEGISLATION, MAINTAIN DEMAND FOR COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CRISIS

Jul 28, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC- Responding to the announcement of the oil spill response and energy jobs plan released today by Senate Majority Leaders Harry Reid (D-NV), the leaders of the National Latino Coalition on Climate Change (NLCCC), a coalition of prominent Latino civil rights organizations, expressed optimism for the legislation and further restated their call for a strong and comprehensive climate change and energy policy that will promote the health, safety and economic advancement of Latinos.

The legislative proposal that was released yesterday updates obsolete laws to prevent future oil spills, requires BP to pay for the clean-up of the spill, encourages the development of more energy efficient heavy-fleet vehicles, and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Of particular significance to the NLCCC is an authorization for the Home Star program, an energy retrofit program that provides an opportunity to promote energy efficiency and stimulate job creation in the construction sector, an industry that is a major source of employment for Latinos in the United States.

“Moving forward, we must not avoid the responsibility of increasing energy efficiency while advancing renewable energy standards and reducing emissions for the benefit of our nation’s health, economy and national security,” said Rafael Fantauzzi, President and CEO of the National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC) and NLCCC Chair. “This legislation is a modest proposal that progresses the discussion on energy reform in the right direction and we look forward to working with the Senate to strengthen it and advocate on behalf of the needs of the Latino community.”

“Latinos are facing 12.4 percent unemployment and, as we struggle to emerge from an economic recession, we must revitalize the Latino workforce by securing access to job training and investment opportunities generated in the energy and construction industries particularly through the Home Star program that is authorized in this bill,” added Hector E. Sanchez, Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and NLCCC vice-chair. “Latinos support strong government action on climate change and our Senators must keep that in mind as we approach the midterm elections,”

Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez, President of the Hispanic Federation and NLCCC vice-chair added, “The economic benefits of a comprehensive solution to modernize our energy production and limit emissions are overwhelming. This legislation contains many important improvements, but clearly we will work with the Senate to advocate for additional improvements that will help address the full scope of the problem and the needs of the Latino community.”

“Latino voters are a growing constituency and they care about a range of policy issues including climate change and energy policy. Our recent polling indicated that a majority of Latino households want immediate action on climate change, support regulation of carbon dioxide and are willing to pay more to get energy from renewable sources,” added Mark Magaña, Executive Director of the NLCCC. “Latinos and our nation as a whole stand to gain from comprehensive climate and energy legislation and the NLCCC is committed to working closely with the Senate to make this a reality.”

The NLCCC is a joint effort led by the National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC), the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) and the Hispanic Federation. NLCCC members include the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF), National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALAAC), Hispanic Access Foundation, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), The National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. (NACOPRW). The NLCCC was established to work collaboratively and ensure that Latinos have an integral voice in the national dialogue on climate change. Visit us at www.latinocoalitiononclimatechange.org
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