Sen. Cantwell's Clean EDGE Act

On May 17, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, a member of the Senate Energy Committee, unveiled an energy plan to lead the way to greater national and economic security, and a cleaner, more independent energy future. The plan would boost our country’s alternative fuels infrastructure, replace big oil giveaways with incentives for clean energy, reduce harmful emissions, and develop new technologies to reduce oil consumption. The plan contains an aggressive package of incentives and cutting-edge initiatives to help reduce foreign oil consumption 40 percent by 2020—a savings of 6 million barrels per day.

DIVERSIFYING AMERICAN ENERGY SOURCES, INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

• Renewable Electricity. To help reduce America’s reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Clean EDGE Act sets a national renewable portfolio standard requiring that 10 percent of all electricity produced in the country come from renewable sources by 2020. • ARPA-E. The Clean EDGE Act will create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to develop cutting-edge technologies that will reduce oil consumption, improve electricity efficiency and reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Investing in American Jobs and Industry. The Clean EDGE Act will create a clean energy investment administration to help deploy new, on-the-ground solutions. It will also invest in education programs to develop a skilled domestic workforce in advanced energy technologies.

TRANSFORMING AMERICA’S VEHICLES & INFRASTRUCTURE

• Flex-Fuel Vehicles: The Clean EDGE Act accelerates the conversion of American vehicles to flexible fuel technology. The legislation mandates that 25 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2010 be flex-fuel capable, rising to 50 percent by 2020. Flexible fuel vehicles can run on higher blends of biofuels, which helps displace petroleum and provides competition at the gas pump.

• Accelerating Infrastructure Conversion: A major barrier to using flex fuel vehicles to reduce petroleum consumption is the lack of refueling stations that provide biofuels. The Clean EDGE Act sets a national goal of installing alternative fuels at 10 percent of American gas stations by 2015. To help achieve it, the legislation will provide additional tools to individual retailers, along with support to local governments that partner with private industry to establish alternative refueling corridors in different parts of the country. In order to break the oil industry’s lock on the gas pump, it also requires major integrated oil companies that own refueling stations to install alternative fuel pumps. • Hybrids and Advanced Vehicle Technology: The Clean EDGE Act will accelerate and extend incentives to purchase and manufacture vehicles that rely on advanced fuel efficiency technologies.

PROTECTING AMERICAN CONSUMERS & BUSINESSES

• Preventing Gas Price Gouging and Increasing Transparency in the Oil and Gas Industry. The Clean EDGE Act makes gas price-gouging a Federal crime, enhances Federal authority to prevent and prosecute manipulation of fuel supplies and anti-competitive behavior, and increases the transparency of petroleum markets. • Energy Price Relief for Low-Income Americans: The Clean EDGE Act will provide additional assistance to Americans struggling under the weight of rising energy costs, by providing flexibility in Food Stamp and Section 8 Public Housing requirements, and a refundable tax credit to LIHEAP-eligible households to help cover residential energy costs.

• Energy Emergency Loans for Farmers and Small Businesses: Volatile prices place an extra burden on businesses that operate close to the margin. The Clean EDGE Act creates disaster loan assistance through the Small Business Administration and USDA, for small businesses and farmers trying to cope with rising energy costs.

LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

• Ending Giveaways to Big Oil. The Clean EDGE Act will revoke subsidies for profit-rich, major oil companies, and make sure they pay their fair share in royalties owed to American taxpayers for drilling on public lands and in federal waters.

• Providing Certainty to Emerging Technologies: Rather than subsidizing the mature petroleum industry, the Clean EDGE Act will use these savings to provide greater certainty for clean energy development, by extending incentives for renewable energy and efficiency technologies.

REAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOR CLEAN AND SECURE ENERGY

• A Serious Federal Commitment: The federal government is the single largest energy consumer in America. The Clean EDGE Act requires the Federal government reduce its petroleum consumption by 20 percent in five years and 40 percent by 2020, increase its renewable electricity use to 10 percent of total consumption by 2013, and employ advanced, efficient, and renewable technology to help drive innovation and jumpstart markets.

• Innovative New Tools for States: The Clean EDGE Act provides enhanced bond issuing authority to states and local governments, for projects to reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, to develop non-petroleum fuels, invest in efficient vehicles, alternative infrastructure and transit.


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Weekly Update To sign up for Maria's weekly newsletter, enter your email address: Search The Site	Sen. Cantwell's Clean EDGE Act On May 17, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, a member of the Senate Energy Committee, unveiled an energy plan to lead the way to greater national and economic security, and a cleaner, more independent energy future. The plan would boost our country’s alternative fuels infrastructure, replace big oil giveaways with incentives for clean energy, reduce harmful emissions, and develop new technologies to reduce oil consumption. The plan contains an aggressive package of incentives and cutting-edge initiatives to help reduce foreign oil consumption 40 percent by 2020—a savings of 6 million barrels per day. DIVERSIFYING AMERICAN ENERGY SOURCES, INVESTING IN THE FUTURE • Renewable Electricity. To help reduce America’s reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Clean EDGE Act sets a national renewable portfolio standard requiring that 10 percent of all electricity produced in the country come from renewable sources by 2020. • ARPA-E. The Clean EDGE Act will create an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to develop cutting-edge technologies that will reduce oil consumption, improve electricity efficiency and reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. • Investing in American Jobs and Industry. The Clean EDGE Act will create a clean energy investment administration to help deploy new, on-the-ground solutions. It will also invest in education programs to develop a skilled domestic workforce in advanced energy technologies. TRANSFORMING AMERICA’S VEHICLES & INFRASTRUCTURE • Flex-Fuel Vehicles: The Clean EDGE Act accelerates the conversion of American vehicles to flexible fuel technology. The legislation mandates that 25 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2010 be flex-fuel capable, rising to 50 percent by 2020. Flexible fuel vehicles can run on higher blends of biofuels, which helps displace petroleum and provides competition at the gas pump. • Accelerating Infrastructure Conversion: A major barrier to using flex fuel vehicles to reduce petroleum consumption is the lack of refueling stations that provide biofuels. The Clean EDGE Act sets a national goal of installing alternative fuels at 10 percent of American gas stations by 2015. To help achieve it, the legislation will provide additional tools to individual retailers, along with support to local governments that partner with private industry to establish alternative refueling corridors in different parts of the country. In order to break the oil industry’s lock on the gas pump, it also requires major integrated oil companies that own refueling stations to install alternative fuel pumps. • Hybrids and Advanced Vehicle Technology: The Clean EDGE Act will accelerate and extend incentives to purchase and manufacture vehicles that rely on advanced fuel efficiency technologies. PROTECTING AMERICAN CONSUMERS & BUSINESSES • Preventing Gas Price Gouging and Increasing Transparency in the Oil and Gas Industry. The Clean EDGE Act makes gas price-gouging a Federal crime, enhances Federal authority to prevent and prosecute manipulation of fuel supplies and anti-competitive behavior, and increases the transparency of petroleum markets. • Energy Price Relief for Low-Income Americans: The Clean EDGE Act will provide additional assistance to Americans struggling under the weight of rising energy costs, by providing flexibility in Food Stamp and Section 8 Public Housing requirements, and a refundable tax credit to LIHEAP-eligible households to help cover residential energy costs. • Energy Emergency Loans for Farmers and Small Businesses: Volatile prices place an extra burden on businesses that operate close to the margin. The Clean EDGE Act creates disaster loan assistance through the Small Business Administration and USDA, for small businesses and farmers trying to cope with rising energy costs. LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES • Ending Giveaways to Big Oil. The Clean EDGE Act will revoke subsidies for profit-rich, major oil companies, and make sure they pay their fair share in royalties owed to American taxpayers for drilling on public lands and in federal waters. • Providing Certainty to Emerging Technologies: Rather than subsidizing the mature petroleum industry, the Clean EDGE Act will use these savings to provide greater certainty for clean energy development, by extending incentives for renewable energy and efficiency technologies. REAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOR CLEAN AND SECURE ENERGY • A Serious Federal Commitment: The federal government is the single largest energy consumer in America. The Clean EDGE Act requires the Federal government reduce its petroleum consumption by 20 percent in five years and 40 percent by 2020, increase its renewable electricity use to 10 percent of total consumption by 2013, and employ advanced, efficient, and renewable technology to help drive innovation and jumpstart markets. • Innovative New Tools for States: The Clean EDGE Act provides enhanced bond issuing authority to states and local governments, for projects to reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, to develop non-petroleum fuels, invest in efficient vehicles, alternative infrastructure and transit.
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