Diverse group of musicians and environmental organizations continue push for clean energy plan.(A)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DIVERSE GROUP OF MUSICIANS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CONTINUE PUSH FOR CLEAN ENERGY PLAN
MUSIC COMMUNITY MOBILIZES, THOUSANDS OF FANS TAKE ACTION ATWWW.SAVEOURENVIRONMENT.ORG/NEWPOWER
NEW ARTISTS INCLUDE: KEVIN RICHARDSON (OF THE BACKSTREET BOYS), LIVE, R.E.M, THE ROOTS AND OTHERS
Prominent musicians across the nation today launched a nationwide grassroots effort to stop the Senate from passing the dangerous energy plan which oil lobbyists helped write. Musicians and tens of thousands of their fans will be contacting their Senators to tell them to vote against the plan, which has already won approval from the House.
“Drilling in our last wild places like the Arctic Refuge? Risking Three Mile Islands with more nuclear power? That thinking is as old as fossil fuels. We would all benefit from a plan inclusive of environmental conservation, fuel efficiency and alternative energy sources,”says Mike Diamond of the Beastie Boys, who has been organizing members of the music community in this effort, called the New Power Project, since last May.
Starting on February 11th, dozens of well-known musicians will mobilize their fans by encouraging them to visit the www.saveourenvironment.org/newpower site where they can send a free fax to their senators about the plan. Kevin Richardson (of the Backstreet Boys), REM, the Roots and Live join the effort that has already included the Beastie Boys, Barenaked Ladies, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, Moby, Trey Anastasio (from Phish), Jackson Browne, Alanis Morissette, James Taylor and others.
The Energy Plan being considered by the Senate was passed in the House last year, after heavy lobbying by the oil drilling industry. The plan calls for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other public lands, weakening the Clean Air Act, and increasing subsidies to coal and nuclear industries. An alternative bill is being proposed by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D – S.D.) that would prohibit drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, invest in clean energy and raise fuel efficiency standards.
By raising fuel economy standards for new cars, SUVs, and trucks to 40 mpg, we would save four million barrels of oil a day by 2020 – more oil than we import from the Persian Gulf each day and could expect to get from drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, combined! America needs an energy plan that emphasizes efficiency and conservation. The New Power Project artists believe that is the kind of plan the Senate should pass.
Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys said, “Our country consumes 25 percent of the world’s oil and holds less than three percent of the world’s reserves. The House’s position that drilling our way out of dependence on foreign oil is ridiculous. If we are to be truly self-reliant, let’s be leaders and increase our fuel efficiency instead of violating our natural treasures.”
The music community has allied with the Save Our Environment Coalition–a collaborative effort of over a dozen of the nation’s most influential environmental advocacy organizations. Dubbed the New Power Project, the innovative effort has rallied tens of thousands of fans and other supporters to sign petitions and to fax their members of Congress, expressing outrage over the plan’s disregard for environmental protection and failure to support conservation and renewable energy programs.
Members of the Save Our Environment Coalition are:American Oceans Campaign, American Rivers, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Environmental Defense, Greenpeace, League of Conservation Voters, National Audubon Society, National Environmental Trust, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Ocean Conservancy, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Sierra Club, The State PIRGs, Union of Concerned Scientists, The Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund