May 24, 2010

“Last year the nation's mayors were most encouraged with the partnership we had with the United States Senate, when the 2009 energy and climate bill included Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. Mayors stood with Senate leaders on the Capitol lawn where Senator after Senator praised the work of the nation's mayors on climate protection.

“We are frustrated and perplexed that the legislation announced today does not include Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants for cities and local governments.

“Today, within the Mayors Climate Protection Center of The United States Conference of Mayors, we have 1,036 mayors and cities looking for a partnership with the federal government on greenhouse gas reduction and greater energy independence.

“The mayors of this nation are recognized around the globe for their outstanding work on this issue, throughout Europe with the European Union and EuroCities and at the COP-15 in Copenhagen. In Asia, with our continuing partnership with the Japanese Association of City Mayors and, recently, at the Sixth Sino-American Summit in Chengdu with the mayors of China, we continue to share our best practices and common goals.

“The fact is that the cities of America are leading the nation on this issue while many states and some in Washington fail to recognize the contribution that we continue to make.

“We speak out today because we still seek a partnership with the federal government. Science tells us that the threat to our globe is caused by the actions of human beings. The mayors of the United States are number one at changing human behavior. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants are tools that we need to forge the public/private initiatives as well as enlisting and involving the 85 percent of the American people who live in cities and their metro areas.

“We believe there are many Senators who have not reversed their sentiment toward mayoral and city involvement. As mentioned last year, we were heralded for the progress of mayors and cities. Our activities have not decreased or subsided over the past year and we have enlisted many more cities within the United States Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Center.

“This issue is a top priority of The United States Conference of Mayors. We will continue to use our grass-roots efforts to include within the current legislation the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants that are so important to our national efforts.

“The bill today has a goal of reducing carbon pollution by 17 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050. Today we stand and speak out to say that the nation cannot meet these goals unless mayors, cities, and their metro regions are totally involved in this national effort.

“In Washington, as with all major legislation, this is a work in progress. And we look forward to engaging with Senate leaders to correct this situation and affirm the crucial role of mayors and other local officials in this effort.”

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.