Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Senate Energy Committee Passes Energy Bill 15-8

The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved an energy bill by a 15-8 vote today. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) intends to combine the energy bill with a climate-change bill. The American Clean Energy Leadership Act:

1) Reforms to the existing Department of Energy loan guarantee program, including creating a new “Clean Energy Investment Fund” to allow collected costs to be used to support more technology deployment.

2) Rapidly ramps up clean, domestic sources of electricity by requiring the gradual increase of the amount of renewable energy utilities produce.

3) Enhance electricity grid reliability infrastructure.

4) Promotes energy efficiency with water efficiency.

5) Increases Production of Renewable Energy on Public Lands.

6) Improves U.S. Manufacturing Energy Efficiency.

7) Makes Consumer Products More Energy Efficient.

8) Increases Building Efficiency.

9) Aids in Thwarting Cybersecurity Threats.

10) Establishes a Federal advisory commission to conduct a comprehensive study of alternative means of safely managing or disposing of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.

11) Requires the Department of Energy to hold at least 30 million barrels of the total 1-billion-barrel SPR inventory in refined petroleum products, such as gasoline and diesel fuel.

12) Quantifies Our Domestic Marine Resources.

13) Increases Domestic Production of Offshore Oil and Gas.

14) Facilitates of Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion.

15) Facilitates Carbon Capture, Transportation and Storage.

16) Improves Energy Market Information.

No comments: