This past week, S.C. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry announced their leadership of a bipartisan effort to pass significant energy and climate change legislation in this Congress. Led by Graham and Kerry, key Senate leaders are now working to move legislation forward that harnesses the power of the free market to lower carbon emissions, create millions of clean energy jobs and promote new energy sources.

It will also enhance our national security by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels that are the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives took an important step in the process of advancing our nation’s energy independence by passing similar legislation.

We commend Sen. Graham for his leadership and vision on this extremely important issue.

As South Carolina mayors, we join the growing consensus of business, military, faith and conservation leaders supporting strong federal energy and climate legislation in this Congress. If Congress does not act, the federal Environmental Protection Agency could use the authority recently granted by the U.S. Supreme Court to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Clearly now is the time for our elected leaders to act on this important environmental issue.

Concerns in the scientific community about climate change are now being echoed by the U.S. military. In a recent visit to South Carolina, Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn stated, “America’s long-term prosperity, quality of life and, in a very real sense, our national security demand that we immediately add climate change to the considerations guiding national security policy.”

McGinn asked that our civilian and military leaders “act decisively to help stem the tide of environmental damage.”

Leading industries with a significant presence in South Carolina – including Alcoa, British Petroleum, Duke Energy, General Electric, and John Deere – all support meaningful climate change legislation. The opportunities for growth, employment and a cleaner environment far outweigh the risks of doing nothing.

Indeed, while much of corporate America struggles, South Carolina’s renewable energy sector has grown at a rate of 36 percent over the past decade, the ninth fastest nationally. We enjoy tremendous offshore wind, solar and biomass potential, and our state is a leader in nuclear energy, which produces no greenhouse gas emissions. South Carolina could create thousands of jobs and still have electricity bills well below the national average by investing in energy conservation and efficiency and new renewable and nuclear energy supplies and technologies.

As mayors, we are on the front lines of the fight to create clean energy jobs, make our communities more energy efficient and reduce our production of greenhouse gases. We know that there is much work that must be done locally to secure the many economic and environmental benefits for our people, our businesses and our communities. Current legislation in the Senate includes provisions to provide a predictable and sustained level of funding for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, which is a key element of any successful national energy and climate strategy. We urge our congressional delegation to support this provision.

We thank Sen. Graham for his leadership in seeking an energy independent future for our country and we urge Sen. Jim DeMint and Congressmen John Spratt, James Clyburn, Bob Inglis, Henry Brown, Gresham Barrett and Joe Wilson to join him in the fight to help pass strong federal climate legislation in this Congress.

— Mayor Joe Riley,

City of Charleston

— Mayor Bill Barnet,

City of Spartanburg

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