Secretary of Energy Steven Chu says in his testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that the Kerry-Boxer bill would be the first step to drive clean energy investments. (0:21)
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu says in his testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that the U.S. should strive to be at the forefront of energy technology development. (0:19)
By Leah Valencia, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service
Senators faced off over the cost of the Kerry-Boxer climate change bill Tuesday when co-author Sen. John Kerry testified that he believed although the legislation would increase energy costs, a lack of action would cause worse problems for the environment and U.S. security.
“Are there some costs? Yes sir, there are some costs,” said Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in his testimony before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “[But] none of them factor in the cost of doing nothing.”
However, some Republican members were not so willing to brush aside the prospect of higher energy costs.
“Cap and trade is very expensive. This is something the American people can’t tolerate and I don’t think they will,” said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the committee’s ranking member.
The Clean Energy Jobs And American Power act seeks to reduce greenhouse emissions by 20 percent within the next decade.
Kerry added that working to reduce dependency on fossil fuels would allow the U.S. to be a leader in developing new technologies, and thus creating new jobs.
“America’s leadership is on the line here,” Kerry said.
White House Officials agreed with Kerry’s assertion during their testimonies before the committee.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu warned that if the U.S. does not act fast to be on the forefront of developing green technologies, other countries would.
Many committee members, including some Democrats like Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), questioned the feasibility of the ambitious bill.
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
The energy and climate debate is making its way to the Senate, just two legislative days after the House passed the Waxman-Markey energy bill. The Committee on Environment and Public Works heard from White House and other government officials Tuesday. They highlighted the importance of making the U.S. a leader in the clean energy market, reducing the effects of global warming, and creating new jobs in the process.
“Clean energy is to this decade, and the next, what the Space Race was to the 1950s and ‘60s. America is behind,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “American businesses need strong incentives and investments now in order for this nation to lead the twenty-first century global economy.”
Other officials present included: Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
Chu said that he applauds the House for passing the clean energy bill and said he looks forward to working with the Senate to pass “comprehensive energy legislation.” He also noted that denial of the climate change problem will not change the outcome but comprehensive legislation that caps and then reduces carbon emissions will.
Committee Chairwoman Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said, “I expect you will hear fierce words of doubt and fear and worse from the other side of the aisle regarding our legislative efforts to move forward with clean energy jobs legislation. This is consistent with a pattern of “No we can’t.” I believe this Committee, when the votes are eventually taken on our bill, will reflect our President’s attitude, which is “Yes, we can, and yes, we will.”
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) agreed that the bill will pass through their committee but he does not believe it will pass on the Senate floor. He said the Senators will have more time to review the many points of the legislation than House members did prior to their June 25 vote.
Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Miss.) also testified Tuesday and stressed the importance of informing the public about the facts of energy policy.
“The gigantic effect of energy policy on American life means Congress should work particularly hard to ensure Americans know the facts about the policies Congress is considering. To the contrary, the House of Representatives added more than 300 pages of its 1200 page energy bill a few hours before it was brought to the floor and passed. That is just the opposite,” said the Governor.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu comments on a recent study that suggests there could be an 11 degree temperature increase. Chu notes 11 degrees may not seem like much, but the world was only 11 degrees colder during the last ice age. He says, “Denial of the climate change problem will not change our destiny; a comprehensive energy and climate bill that caps and then reduces carbon emissions will. (0:32)
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.
By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service
President Barack Obama has left the U.S. Department of Energy with a difficult task: how spending $150 billion over the next decade will result in 25 percent of Americans using renewable energy sources by 2025.
At the Energy Information Administration’s annual conference in Washington today, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said that government funding will drive scientific research to make renewable sources of energy more accessible and affordable.
A Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist, Chu said that with aggressive research, adequate government funding and public support, America will spark a technological and scientific revolution in the energy industry, making renewable energies more accessible and less expensive.
President Obama has committed to doubling the funding of basic science in the next ten years, and Chu believes the funds will have significant impacts.
Chu believes that economic prosperity is tied intimately to energy affordability and energy security, and cautioned against being misled into believing that there is any correlation between the amount of energy a country uses and that country’s economic prosperity. Citing numbers from the Human Development Index, Chu displayed that over the past several decades California’s energy consumption has remained consistent while its GDP per capita has nearly doubled.
President Obama has said repeatedly that his energy plan is one that will help the economy by creating green jobs which are not subject to the threat of outsourcing, but opponents criticize the costs involved.
The Energy policy laid out in January’s Stimulus Package allots over $16 billion to energy efficiency and renewable energy, which is part of the broader $32.7 billion that the Department of Energy was given overall.
By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service
Today while at the Energy Information Administration annual conference, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu jokes about airplanes mating while making a larger point on how science can learn from nature.
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By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service
While testifying before the Senate Committee on the Budget, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that the solution to America’s energy woes must combine many different approaches, based both on renewable and fossil fuels. Chu said that all of the following should be part of the solution of ensuring sustainable energy independence:
• Improved CAFE Standards
• Conservation
• Plug-In Hybrid Cars
• Reducing dependence on Foreign Oil
• Biofuels
• Nuclear technology
• Offshore drilling
• Expanding natural gas
• Clean coal technology
• Hydropower
• Wind energy
• Post-Combustion technologies
• Solar Technology (both photovoltaic and thermal)
• Improving the energy efficiency of buildings
Chu highlighted the importance of coal by saying that the US has the highest coal reserves in the world. He continued that China and India also have high coal reserves, and they won’t turn their backs on that potential technology, so America shouldn’t either. Regarding solar technology, Chu said that presently solar thermal technology is better than photovoltaic technology, but that if photovoltaic technology was more deployed, the costs would begin to come down and the technology in general would improve. Chu continued that natural gas, hydropower, and nuclear technology are all rather clean, and should all be part of America’s approach. Post-combustion technologies are those that pull carbon out of the atmosphere once it has been released, and Chu said that there is a “reasonable chance of success” in those capturing methods, which he noted is a place where he and Al Gore differ in opinion.
President Obama’s FY2010 Budget allots $26.3 billion to the Department of Energy for clean energy. The other main priorities of the administration include doubling the federal government’s investment in basic science, increased focus on climate science, and expanding graduate fellowships in sciences.
By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
At the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the future directions of energy research and development, Ranking Member Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Ala.) said that, “If we are going to be the leader in energy technology, investment in Research and Development (R&D) is a must, and the two are certainly not mutually exclusive.”
The legislative proposal considered today will not only reauthorizes the research and development components of the energy policy act of 2005 but it doubles the authorization funding from 2009 to 2013.
Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu emphasized the importance of the U.S. becoming less carbon intensive and less dependent on foreign oil. “In the near term, President Obama and this Congress have already taken key steps to passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,” which Chu says will help put people to work at making homes more energy efficient. “Getting this money into the economy quickly, carefully, and transparently is the top priority for me.” said Chu.
Chu also stated that funding needs to be increased in the sciences because, “we need to do more transformational research at the DOE to bring a range of clean energy technologies to the point where the private sector can pick them up.” He stated that this will help to make abundant, affordable, low-carbon bio-fuels a reality.
Senator Mark Udall (D- Colo.) remarked that there is a need for a long term R&D investment, and it is clear that National Labs will start playing an important role in regard regard to energy efficiency. He went on to state that, “There is a saying that has been making the rounds for the last years, which is green is the new red, white and blue, in other words, one of the most patriotic things we can do is to develop this new energy economy, and maybe we will see you sitting on a poster; “Sam needs you”.”
Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said that clean coal and nuclear power are far more important than maybe some people appreciate. He stated that, “Now we are going to have spent nuclear fuel sitting around in pools all over America and also tell the nuclear power industry, we have no way of either reprocessing or storing spent nuclear fuel around America, and we expect nuclear power to be an integral part of this nations energy future.” McCain went on to question the need for funding research when the Europeans and Japanese are already doing it in a safe and efficient fashion.
