On the recordApril 20, 2016
As we celebrate our 46th Earth Day, it is critical that we recognize the opportunities that stem from addressing some of our most pressing environmental problems. All too often we hear the argument that environmental policies are agents of economic destruction. From the Clean Power Plan to renewable energy development and energy-efficient technologies, every time a new environmental policy is proposed, we hear the same rhetoric: This will kill jobs, drive up costs, destroy trade, and stifle America's ability to succeed. But the reality is those claims are simply not true. They have been debunked and proven wrong time and again, but the truth doesn't seem to matter when it comes to protecting our environment. Without a doubt, one of America's greatest assets is the ingenuity of its people. Throughout our Nation's history, American innovation has triumphed in the face of great challenges. Unleashing that American innovation can bring big wins for both the environment and the economy. There is no better example of this than when we look at our renewable energy sector. For decades, America has chased the promise of clean, domestic energy. In recent years, costs for numerous critical clean energy technologies--wind power, solar panels, super-energy-efficient LED lights and electric vehicles--have fallen dramatically. The accompanying surge in deployment has been impressive.…
