Young Americans in Copenhagen press for energy action now
COPENHAGEN – On the first day of the critical week of United Nations climate negotiations, young elected officials in Copenhagen and in the United States called on President Obama and Congress to secure a strong agreement that will grow clean energy jobs and address climate change.
Five young elected officials presented the statement (printed below) to the United States delegation in Copenhagen on Monday in advance of President Obama’s address all UN delegates on Friday, December 18. “Our message to President Obama and Congress is simple,” said Andy Katz, Director of the East Bay Municipal Utility District in California, and the Chair of Sierra Club California. “Revitalize our economy with clean energy jobs. Young Americans have the most at stake – and the highest price – if we fail to solve the climate and clean energy crisis.”
The statement attracted support from over 95 young elected city council members, mayors, and state representatives from 30 states. “While the rest of the economy is struggling, clean energy jobs are a real bright spot,” said Rep. Jeremy Kalin (North Branch, MN), chair of CLEAN, the Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now working with the White House and the United States Senate.
“Action in Copenhagen and in Congress is critical to scale up the job opportunities.” “Our dependence on oil is a serious threat to America’s national security, which is why both young people and veterans have called on making America more secure by taking control of our energy future,” said Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx (Brunswick, ME), an Iraq war veteran in Copenhagen with the Truman National Security Project. “The world is looking to the United States to lead again on climate solutions,” said Representative Kate Knuth (New Brighton, MN), attending the conference as a policy mentor to a youth delegation from the Will Steger Foundation. “America cannot afford to be on the sidelines of the new, clean energy economy,” said Deputy Town Supervsior Dominic Frongillo (Caroline, NY). “Congress and President Obama can help regain our competitiveness and ensure the most advanced wind turbines, solar panels, and electric cars say ‘Made in America.’”
The statement presented to the United States delegation reads as follows:
“We, young elected officials of the United States, believe freedom, independence, and self sufficiency are at the heart of America, and should be at the heart of our strategy for energy independence in the 21st Century. As elected representatives with a personal stake in our future, we believe it’s time for a bold, new vision for America’s future. We call on Congress to start investing in new, safe energy technologies like wind and solar power that will rebuild our manufacturing base, create jobs, and grow our economy. We need to put millions of Americans back to work refitting our homes and buildings for energy efficiency with jobs that can’t be shipped overseas. The United States can lead once again by forging a bold, binding, and just agreement in Copenhagen that will secure a safe and abundant world for future generations of Americans.”
Alex Du Houx, 26, is a Maine State Representative and an Iraq war veteran
Dominic Frongillo, 26, is a Councilmember in the Town of Caroline, New York
Jeremy Kalin, 34, is a Minnesota State Representative
Andy Katz, 29, is a Director of the East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland, California
Kate Knuth, 26, is a Minnesota State Representative
Signers Include:
ALAN BROCK COUNTY COMMISSION CRAWFORDVILLE, FL
ALEX CORNELL DU HOUX STATE LEGISLATURE BRUNSWICK, ME
ALISHA BELL COUNTY COMMISSIONER DETROIT, MI
ANDERS IBSEN CONSERVATION DISTRICT SUPERVISOR TACOMA, WA
ANDREW GILLUM VICE MAYOR TALLAHASSEE, FL
ANDY KATZ DIRECTOR, EAST BAY MUNICIPAL UTILITY DIST BERKELEY, CA
ANGELA GARRETSON CITY COUNCILOR HILLSIDE, NJ
ANTON GUNN STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COLUMBIA, SC
ASHLEY BELL VICE CHAIR OF COUNTY COMMISSION GAINSVILLE, GA
BEN ALLEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SANTA MONICA AND MALIBU, CA
BETSY HANDS STATE REPRESENTATIVE MISSOULA, MT
BRIAN ROWLAND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PRAIRIE VIEW, TX
CARA JENNINGS CITY COMMISSION LAKE WORTH, FL
CARL SCIORTINO STATE REPRESENTATIVE MEDFORD, MA
CARMELO GARCIA PRESIDENT, HOBOKEN BOARD OF EDUCATION HOBOKEN, NJ
CHRIS CARTER STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEFFERSON CITY, MO
CHRISTOPHER FLYNN CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF SELECTMEN BRIDGEWATER, MA
DANIELLE ADAMS SOIL AND WATER SUPERVISOR DURHAM, NC
DARRELL GASTON ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISIONER WASHINGTON, DC
DAVE WOODWARD OAKLAND COUNTY COMMISSIONER ROYAL OAK, MI
DAYVIN HALLMON KENOSHA COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR KENOSHA, WI
DELIA GARCIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE WICHITA, KS
DOMINIC FRONGILLO COUNCILMEMBER, DEPUTY TOWN SUPERVISOR CAROLINE, NY
DON CALLOWAY STATE REPRESENTATIVE ST. LOUIS, MO
DYLAN RACE COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT DANBY, NY
ELAHU GOSNEY CITY COUNCILMEMBER ATHENS, OH
ELESHA GAYMAN STATE REPRESENTAITVE, ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER DAVENPORT, IA
EVAN LOW VICE MAYOR CAMPBELL, CA
EZRA TEMKO CITY COUNCILMAN NEWARK, DE
FAITH WINTER CITY COUNCILOR WESTMINTER, CO
GARTH CORRIVEAU ALDERMAN-ELECT MANCHESTER, NH
HENRY DAVIS CITY COUNCILMAN SOUTH BEND 2ND DISTRICT, IN
JACQUE ROBINSON COUNCILMEMBER PASADENA, CA
JAMES SKOUFIS WOODBURY TOWN COUNCILMAN WOODBURY, NY
JAMIE ELDRIDGE STATE SENATOR ACTON, MA
JANE KIM SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SAN FRANCISO, CA
JASON ROJAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE EAST HARTFORD, CT
JAY CHEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER HACIENDA HEIGHTS, CA
JEFF THIGPEN GUILFORD COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS GREENSBORO, NC
JEREMY KALIN STATE REPRESENTATIVE NORTH BRANCH, MN
JESSE MERMELL SELECTMAN BROOKLINE, MA
JOE CARN VICE MAYOR COLLEGE PARK, GA
JOHANNA NELSON CITY COUNCILPERSON ALPINE, TX
KACIE STARR TRIPLETT ALDERMAN ST. LOUIS, MO
KAREN LIOT HILL CITY COUNCILOR LEBANON, NH
KATE KNUTH STATE REPRESENTATIVE NEW BRIGHTON, MN
KEITH ROSSO BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE SADDLE BROOK, NJ
KELDA ROYS STATE REPRESENTATIVE MADISON, WI
KENDALL VAN DYK STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILLINGS, MT
KENT SCHLOSSER CITIZENS COUNCIL MEMBER HELENA, MT
KESHA RAM STATE REPRESENTATIVE BURLINGTON, VT
KEVIN HODGES STATE REPRESENTATIVE HILLSBOROUGH, NH
KEVIN KILLER STATE REPRESENTATIVE PINE RIDGE, SD
KHAATIM SHERRER EL ATLANTA BOARD OF EDUCATION ATLANTA, GA
KYRSTEN SINEMA HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE PHOENIX, AZ
LAKETA COLE COUNCILMEMBER, PRESIDENT PRO TEM CINCINNATI, OH
LAMAR HEYSTEK COUNCILMEMBER DAVIS, CA
M. JANET CHIN VICE PRESIDENT, BOARD OF EDUCATION GARVEY SCHOOL
DISTRICT, CA
MAE FLEXER STATE REPRESENTATIVE DANIELSON, CT
MARISOL CRUZ BOARD MEMBER LENNOX, CA
MARK FALZONE STATE REPRESENTATIVE 9th ESSEX DISTRICT, MA
MATT HEINZ HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE TUCSON, AZ
MATT LESSER STATE REPRESENTATIVE MIDDLETOWN, NY
MATTHEW ELSAESSER CITY COMMISSIONER HELENA, MT
MEGAN ENGLAND COUNCILMEMBER ROELAND PARK, KS
MELVIN CARTER CITY COUNCILOR ST. PAUL, MN
MICHAEL J MAKARSKI BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE SECAUCUS, NJ
MICHAEL MATURO COUNCILMAN ORANGETOWN, NY
MICHAEL SELLERS MAYOR COBLESKILL, NY
MICHELE REINHART HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE MISSOULA, MT
MIKE GIPSON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CARSON, CA
MONISHA MERCHANT UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO REGENT LAKEWOOD, CO
NATHAN SHINAGAWA COUNTY LEGISLATOR TOMPKINS COUNTY, NY
NATHAN SMALL CITY COUNCILOR LAS CRUCES, NM
NEVADA LITTLEWOLF CITY COUNCILOR VIRGINIA, MN
NICKOLAS LEVASSEUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE MANCHESTER, NH
OSCAR BRAYNON, II STATE REPRESENTATIVE MIAMI GARDENS, FL
PATRICK ARNOLD ALDERMAN MANCHESTER, NH
PAUL LOPEZ CITY COUNCILMAN DENVER, CO
QUINTEALIA CATO CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR PRO TEM MIDWAY, FL
RASHAD TAYLOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE ATLANTA, GA
REBEKAH GEWIRTZ ALDERMAN SOMERVILLE, MA
ROY PAUL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER MIDDLETOWN, NY
SAMUEL PIERRE KINGS COUNTY COMMITTEEMAN BROOKLYN, NY
SARAH ROBERTS STATE REPRESENTATIVE ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI
SCOTT KAWASAKI STATE REPRESENTATIVE FAIRBANKS, AK
SEAN BECKER MAYOR-ELECT BOZEMAN, MT
SEAN GARBALLEY STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARLINGTON, MA
SIMEON QUEEN CITY COUNCILMAN PRAIRIE VIEW, TX
SVANTE MYRICK CITY COUNCILMEMBER ITHACA, NY
TISHAURA JONES STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEFFERSON CITY, MO
TONY CUNEO CITY COUNCILOR DULUTH, MN
TONY MADRIGAL CITY COUNCILMEMBER SANTA CRUZ, CA
TONY PAYTON STATE REPRESENTATIVE PHILADELPHIA, PA
TRICIA COTHAM LEGISLATOR CHARLOTTE, NC
