Wednesday
Apr222009
Energy Debate Continues on Earth Day
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 1:49PM
By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News
The House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee celebrated Earth Day by hearing testimony on the American Clean Energy and Security Act from 21 witnesses, including U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson.
Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) released draft legislation three weeks ago to reduce American dependence on foreign oil and introduces a clean energy requirement for electric utilities and new energy efficiency programs. The legislation also places a cap on greenhouse-gas pollution and institutes low-carbon requirements for vehicles and fuels.
Rep. Waxman said that “it is no longer a question whether we will act to reduce CO2 emissions,” but “the real question is whether we will do so in a way that strengthens our economy, creates new jobs, and ends our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.”
Rep. Markey said: “We cannot continue energy policies that look to last century’s energy sources while other nations race ahead to take the lead in developing and marketing clean energy technologies and green jobs.”
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said America “will continue to use coal as a fuel, but we must learn to do so in a cleaner way.”
The Obama administration believes a Renewable Electricity Standard would create jobs and that a gradual, market-based cap on carbon pollution would restore America’s leadership in clean energy technology.
“We need not only jump-start our economy today but to lay the foundation for America’s long term prosperity,” said Chu.
Lisa Jackson, Administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said that “lasting economic recovery will come only when the federal government looks beyond the quick fix and invests in building the advanced energy industries that will help restore America’s economic health over the long term.”
Republicans fear that this legislation is going to cost Americans up to $3,128 in raised energy costs and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said that “you name the cost, and it’s going to go up.”
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) said that nuclear power needs to be addressed and he feels the middle class will end up paying for raised energy costs. We will “essentially kick working families when they’re down,” said Upton.
The House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee celebrated Earth Day by hearing testimony on the American Clean Energy and Security Act from 21 witnesses, including U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson.
Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) released draft legislation three weeks ago to reduce American dependence on foreign oil and introduces a clean energy requirement for electric utilities and new energy efficiency programs. The legislation also places a cap on greenhouse-gas pollution and institutes low-carbon requirements for vehicles and fuels.
Rep. Waxman said that “it is no longer a question whether we will act to reduce CO2 emissions,” but “the real question is whether we will do so in a way that strengthens our economy, creates new jobs, and ends our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.”
Rep. Markey said: “We cannot continue energy policies that look to last century’s energy sources while other nations race ahead to take the lead in developing and marketing clean energy technologies and green jobs.”
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said America “will continue to use coal as a fuel, but we must learn to do so in a cleaner way.”
The Obama administration believes a Renewable Electricity Standard would create jobs and that a gradual, market-based cap on carbon pollution would restore America’s leadership in clean energy technology.
“We need not only jump-start our economy today but to lay the foundation for America’s long term prosperity,” said Chu.
Lisa Jackson, Administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said that “lasting economic recovery will come only when the federal government looks beyond the quick fix and invests in building the advanced energy industries that will help restore America’s economic health over the long term.”
Republicans fear that this legislation is going to cost Americans up to $3,128 in raised energy costs and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) said that “you name the cost, and it’s going to go up.”
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) said that nuclear power needs to be addressed and he feels the middle class will end up paying for raised energy costs. We will “essentially kick working families when they’re down,” said Upton.
We Need More Green To 'Go Green', Says Panel
By AJ Swartwood
Daniel Weiss, Senior Fellow and Director of Climate Strategy at The Center for American Progress, outlined his concerns for the future of clean energy and pointed out that the United States has a long way to go to keep pace with a globalized economy.
Weiss, joined by a panel of green energy advocates, noted that the three key elements of a prosperous clean energy future are infrastructure, marketing and financing. During harsh economic times in the U.S. and the weakest global economic landscape that the world has seen in decades, the panel agreed that an often expensive push for clean energy can seem like an overwhelming obstacle.
“Financing is gonna be the biggest impediment… to advancing many of these technologies,” said Weiss.
Weiss believes the financial conundrum is not insurmountable and a variety of creative financial options have been introduced, including one that was featured in the American Clean Energy And Security Act that passed the Senate Environmental Committee.
“We’ve been proponents of a Clean Energy Deployment Administration, which would have a sort of revolving loan guarantee fund for new and innovative technologies,” Weiss said. “We think that has a lot of promise.”