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For Immediate Release
October, 21 2009, 01:27pm EDT
Contact:
Barb Chalfonte, Senior Research Associate
413.584.9556, barb@nationalpriorities.org
National Priorities Project Releases Key Energy Consumption & Federal Spending Information Coinciding With International Day of Climate Action
Newly updated historical data reflect the local impacts of federal spending and energy consumption.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass.
Coinciding with the International Day of Climate Action, National Priorities Project (NPP) has revisioned and updated the Energy area of its Federal Priorities Database.
Visitors to the website will find updated national and state-level data
related to energy concerns including federal spending for Renewable
Energy Research and Development (R&D), Weatherization Assistance
for low-income people, and Conservation/Energy-Efficiency R&D.
Users of the database can contrast this with federal spending for
Fossil Fuel R&D or Nuclear Energy R&D and waste management.
Database
users can also find national and state-level information about total
costs and consumption rates for coal, natural gas and petroleum usage,
which are key contributors to carbon emissions. Complementary data on
the per person consumption of petroleum, motor gasoline and renewable
energy are also available, as are numbers on alternative fuel vehicles
relative to all registered vehicles.
"Historical
federal spending and issue indicators are the data that can strengthen
organizing and actions for change," notes Dr. Barb Chalfonte, NPP's
Senior Research Associate.
350.org
which issued the call for action reports that climate experts have
established that 350 parts per million (ppm) is the safe upper limit of
CO2 in the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 is currently at 390 ppm. Without
quick and decisive action to decrease these seriously elevated levels,
the opportunity to regain control of climate change may elude us.
Chalfonte
continues, "We invite participants in the International Day of Climate
Action, as well as all citizens concerned with climate change, to visit
theNational Priorities Project Database to investigate state-level impacts of energy-related federal spending."
The National Priorities Project (NPP) is a 501(c)(3) research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. Located in Northampton, MA, since 1983, NPP focuses on the impact of federal spending and other policies at the national, state, congressional district and local levels. For more information, go to https://nationalpriorities.org.
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