|
|
U.S. Senator
Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees |
|
|
|
||
|
For Immediate
Release June 21, 2007 |
CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Comm.
Director |
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate passed H.R. 6, the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007 which includes aggressive oil-savings provisions and other substantial components championed by Senator Ken Salazar to promote greater use of biofuels, renewable energy and energy efficiency. “We took an historic step tonight toward our Nation’s future with the passage of the ‘Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act,’ – it is unarguably one of the most important pieces of legislation I have ever voted for,” said Senator Salazar. “This bill will strengthen our energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, it will bolster our economic security by creating domestic jobs, particularly in rural areas and it will also ensure our environmental security by encouraging clean energy technology." Highlights of H.R. 6, the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007: 1. BIOFUELS: The bill dramatically increases production and use of biofuels. This bill will quintuple the existing renewable fuels standard to 36 billion gallons by 2022, 21 billion of which must be advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol. That is enough to reduce projected U.S. oil imports a million barrels per day and eventually offset our imports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Libya combined. 2. EFFICIENCIES & CAFE STANDARDS: The bill establishes appliance standards for consumer and industrial products and promotes high efficiency vehicles, advanced batteries, and energy storage. The legislation also sets forth national energy savings goals and seeks to assist state and local governments in their energy efficiency efforts. All together, the legislation’s appliance efficiency provisions will save at least 50 billion kilowatt hours per year, or enough to power roughly 4.8 million typical U.S. households.
3. CARBON CAPTURE & STORAGE: In addition the bill begins to address the environmental consequences of our energy policy through a provision sponsored by Senator Salazar that would determine how we can store the carbon that we are currently putting into the atmosphere. It may hold particular promise in reducing pollutants from power plants, since they produce an estimated one-third of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. 4. OIL SAVINGS: Senator Salazar co-sponsored the DRIVE Act oil savings amendment with Senator Bayh (D-IN) which is included in the bill and will increase our Nation’s energy security by cutting 2.5 million barrels-per-day from our Nation’s oil use by 2016, and 10 million barrels-per-day from its oil use by 2031. 5. “25x’25:” Senator Salazar sponsored an amendment that is included in the bill which establishes a national goal of producing 25 percent of America’s energy from renewable resources - like solar, wind, geothermal and biomass - by 2025. 6. FLEX-FUEL & HYBRID PRODUCTION: Senator Salazar also sponsored an amendment that would speed the development and use of electric transportation technology in two major ways. First, the amendment creates new programs to get advanced electric and hybrid vehicles ready for the market, including plug-in vehicles that are recharged by plugging into a standard electrical outlet. Second, the amendment offers a special loan program to encourage electrification at major transportation centers - such as truck stops, ports, and airports - to reduce the use of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel fuel by vehicles at such sites. H.R. 6 as amended now goes back to the House.
# # #
|
||
