Politics

In New Climate Change Plan, Hillary Attacks Republicans For Refusing To Accept ‘Settled Science’ [VIDEO]

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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Hillary Clinton attacked the Republican presidential field on Sunday for refusing “to accept the settled science of climate change” in a new campaign video that she released along with an outline for “two bold national goals” to increase the use of renewable energy in the U.S.

Clinton’s plan calls for a 700 percent increase in the number of solar panels in the U.S. by the year 2020. That would create an output of 140 gigabytes — the equivalent of having solar panel systems installed on the rooftops of 25 million U.S. homes. Along with solar energy, Clinton says she plans to increase the use of hydro, wind, and geothermal all with a goal of creating enough renewable energy to power every U.S. home within ten years.

In a 3-minute video, Clinton criticized Republican candidates for their stances on climate change.

“I’m a skeptic. Not a scientist,” reads a quote from Jeb Bush. “I’m not a scientist,” reads another from Marco Rubio.

“I may not be a scientist, but I’m a grandmother with two eyes and a brain,” Clinton said in an email announcing the video, repeating a line she’s used frequently on the campaign trail this week.

According to the outline of Clinton’s plan, she will propose a “climate action competition” which will provide competitive grants and provide incentives to “empower states to exceed federal carbon pollution standards.” She also plans to set up what she’s calling a Solar X-Prize. That will provide awards to communities that find ways to “cut the red tape that slows rooftop installation times and increases costs for businesses and consumers.”

In addition to the competitions, Clinton said she will work to extend clean energy tax incentives and to expand the use of renewable energy on federal lands and property. She also called for reducing “the amount of oil consumed in the United States and around the world.”

Clinton also stated that she would “protect the health and retirement security” of coalfield workers. The proposed shift toward renewable and clean energy is expected to displace many of those workers.

The plan will “prevent thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks each year” while helping the U.S. “meet our national and international climate targets,” Clinton claimed.

Glaringly absent from Clinton’s plan is any mention of Keystone XL, the Canadian oil pipeline being blocked by the Obama administration. Clinton has declined to weigh in on whether she thinks that the pipeline should be approved, saying that she is waiting for the State Department to decide whether it will approve. The State Department’s stonewalling has not stopped Clinton’s Democratic competitors from weighing in on the issue, however. Both Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley have said that they oppose the pipeline.

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