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Dec 01 - PRNewswire
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell traveled to the nation's capital on Thursday to call upon the president to do all he can to address the energy needs of the United States. "Instead of imports growing from 59 percent of consumption to 66 percent in 10 years, they would fall from 59 percent to 53 percent. Clearly we won't be done, but we will have taken a huge step in the right direction," the Governor said in a speech before the National Press Club. "A problem that has been getting worse every year for the last 40 years would start getting better every year." Besides depending less on energy imports, an 'American Energy Harvest' would create jobs, boost the country's energy entrepreneurs and companies, cut dependence on foreign oil, reduce the trade deficit and improve domestic security. "By changing how and where we spend energy dollars, we can create more jobs, increase domestic investment and make our nation safer," the Governor said. "What we are doing in Pennsylvania offers a vivid illustration of how our economy, our quality of life and our security can be improved by investing in America's fuels. "Today's energy story in Pennsylvania provides a template for the nation," Governor Rendell said. "Energy production, energy policy and energy politics are not new to Pennsylvania. Our experience over the last 150 years has taught us what energy can do for our economy when handled right and what it can do to our economy when mishandled." LEADERSHIP NEEDED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Governor Rendell noted that he has written to President Bush and asked him to provide the federal leadership, authority and purchasing power and resources "to turn our energy challenge into an economic and political win for our nation." He said he is ready and willing to work with the president to accomplish these goals. There are simple steps the federal government can take "to change the course that our economy and our nation will take in the next decade." They include:
-- Using its regulatory power to require greater reliance on alternative fuels by utilities and energy companies; -- Using its purchasing power to stimulate private investment in alternative fuel production and fuel saving technologies; and -- Redirecting subsidies enacted before the energy companies began making extraordinary profits and allocating those funds to alternative fuel production. "To reduce imports of petroleum, we need to aggressively invest in plants that produce transportation fuels - gasoline and diesel fuel - from our coal reserves and coal waste piles and from crops grown on American soil including corn and sugar cane," Governor Rendell said. As engineers, scientists and other experts have come together throughout U.S. history to solve significant and serious problems from the space race to eliminating polio, they need to come together to satisfy America's energy needs, Governor Rendell pointed out. The Governor said by 2015, his American Energy Harvest plan will mean 2.5 million barrels a day of fuel produced in the U.S. will come from 50 agile, clean, coal plants; 1 million barrels a day will be produced from biofuels required by a federal alternative energy portfolio standard; 10,000 megawatts of electricity will be derived from solar energy required by a federal alternative energy portfolio standard; 100,000 megawatts of electricity will be derived from wind power required by a federal alternative energy portfolio standard; and 500,000 barrels per day will be conserved by purchasing federal and state fleet vehicles with hybrid technology and leading the way for 1/3 of all cars purchased to be hybrid. The Pennsylvania Model Governor Rendell outlined Pennsylvania's American Energy Harvest model. Among the specific items he mentioned were:
-- The nation's first waste coal-to-diesel fuel plant. It will produce diesel and jet fuels and generate enough electricity to power more than 40,000 homes. The state pledged to purchase 10 million gallons from the plant for 10 years and organized a consortium of private fuel purchasers to do the same. -- An economic stimulus program of $2.3 billion in government capital that is strategically investing in Pennsylvania industries, including $15.6 million in loans and grants for the development of the first windmill blade manufacturing plant in the nation. Gamesa, a world-renowned Spanish firm, agreed to open a U.S. manufacturing facility with Pennsylvania's investment. -- An investment to stimulate the development and the use of biofuels. The state provided capital support for a state-of-the-art biofuels injection facility. Every year the plant will replace 3.2 million gallons of foreign oil in the state's diesel supply with domestically produced biofuel. -- A plan to build new state-of-the-art clean coal fired electric generating facilities. The plan, called EDGE - Energy Deployment for a Growing Economy - is a unique partnership to support Pennsylvania's manufacturing firms by providing low-cost, cleaner fuel, and furthering the state's solid leadership in creating homegrown energy solutions. The initiative promotes advanced coal gasification technology that gasifies coal to produce an array of products, including synthetic gas, which can be used to make chemicals and consumer products, synthetic natural gas to heat homes, transportation fuels or electricity. -- Setting energy efficiency standards for the state government fleet, including cutting out the gas-guzzlers and directing fleet managers to purchase smaller and higher fuel-efficient cars and mandating 25 percent of the fleet of SUVs and light trucks be hybrids. The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/. EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of the Governor's letter to the president is attached. For the text of the Governor's speech before the National Press Club, go to http://www.governor.state.pa.us/governor/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=444223.
December 1, 2005 The Honorable George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Bush: As you are aware, I've written you on a number of occasions because of the interest you expressed in clean coal energy and other alternative fuel development. Today, I outlined a plan that we call The American Energy Harvest that I believe can be a great first step toward the goal of achieving energy independence for our great nation. The execution of this plan does not require new federal revenue and it would not add to our country's deficit. But it does require strong leadership. The plan calls for the marshalling of existing resources and technology into a project similar to the Manhattan Project, led by President Roosevelt, and the Apollo launch, called for by President Kennedy. If you provide this type of leadership, I believe you will find truly bipartisan support ready and willing to work with you. With that support we can make such substantial progress that this effort can become a significant part of your legacy as president.
I stand ready to assist you in any way that you believe appropriate. Sincerely yours, /s/ Edward G. Rendell Governor CONTACT: Kate Philips of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, +1-717-783-1116 or Kurt Knaus (DEP), +1-717-787-1323. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor CONTACT: Kate Philips of Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,+1-717-783-1116 or Kurt Knaus (DEP), +1-717-787-1323 Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/http://www.governor.state.pa.us/ |