U.S. groups want federal government to enact new energy legislation
WASHINGTON, DC, US, September 14, 2005 (Refocus Weekly)
The U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives must develop a new energy bill that provides tax incentives for renewable energy technologies.
Twenty-one business, environmental and energy policy organizations told
the political leaders that “now is the time to act on an energy policy that
seriously addresses the challenges now facing the country.” Oil costs US$70
a barrel and gasoline sells for $3 a gallon, while energy imports continue
to rise and the U.S. faces a continuing war in Iraq and the devastation
caused by Hurricane Katrina, “the intensity of which was exacerbated by
climate change.”
“Few in Congress would argue that the recently enacted Energy Policy Act of
2005 will have any near-term impact on energy prices, energy imports, the
emission of greenhouse gases, or national security,” it notes. “Congress
cannot afford to wait another decade before addressing our growing energy
problems. Given the multiple threats now posed to the nation's economy,
environmental health, and national security, Congress arguably cannot even
wait until the next session.”
“Congress should enact a Renewable Portfolio Standard to require the
nation's power generators to produce a substantial portion of their
electricity from renewable sources; we suggest that the level be no less
than 20% by 2020,” it explains. “Congress needs to provide both long-term
tax incentives for the cross-section of renewable energy and energy
efficiency technologies and substantially higher authorization levels for
research, development, and deployment programs.”
Groups that signed the letter include the Arkansas Renewable Energy
Association, Biomass Coordinating Committee, Capital Communications Phanes
Solar, Clean Energy Action, Energy Coordinating Agency, Global Resource
Options, Solar Energy Solutions, Institute for Environmental Research &
Education, Mainstay Energy, Montana Environmental Information Center, New
Community Project, Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development,
Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy, Padoma Wind Power, Renewable Energy
Long Island, Sterling Planet, SUN DAY Campaign, Vermont Energy Investment
and Wisconsin Energy Conservation, among others.
“It is imperative that Congress enacts aggressive fuel efficiency standards
for automobiles and trucks” with a bare minimum of CAFE standards of 40 mpg
by 2015, and a mandatory target for an overall national reduction in the
level of oil consumption set at a level equivalent to at least 10% of the
current level of petroleum use within the next five years, with more
stringent targets to follow. “The nation must set mandatory limits on the
production of greenhouse gases that do not merely curb the intensity of
carbon dioxide, methane, and other emissions but actually reduce their
levels significantly,” the letter argues.
“Congress roll back many, if not all, of the incentives provided in the
energy bill to the mature and well-financed nuclear and fossil fuel
industries, the latter of which is currently making breathtaking profits,”
it adds. “Given the lop-sided incentives provided to fossil fuels and
nuclear power versus energy efficiency and renewable energy, the nation's
energy problems could well be made worse by the measure in the coming
years.”
Mandatory limits on GHG emissions will be essential to “substantially and
rapidly expand the percentage of energy produced from renewable energy
sources,” and the group says the positive financial, regulatory and other
incentives supportive of renewables in the new energy bill “clearly are
woefully inadequate,” with many of the renewable energy production and
investment tax credits authorized for only two years “compared to far longer
time periods authorized for the myriad fossil and nuclear tax incentives.”
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