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Energy
During my tenure in the U.S. Senate, I have sought to promote a well-balanced energy policy that encourages clean, safe, reliable and affordable forms of energy, and to appropriately weigh environmental protection with our need for economic expansion. Pennsylvania’s strong agricultural, manufacturing and other industrial sectors rely heavily on energy production and Pennsylvania consumers deserve reliable, affordable energy. Adequate domestic supplies, as well as incentives for conservation and efficiency, are critical to meeting these needs.
In recent years, energy policy has proven to be one of the most contentious issues in Congress, with political and geographical differences in many areas. I have supported efforts to end debate on various versions of a comprehensive energy bill to bring it to a final vote. I am pleased to report that Congress passed a comprehensive energy bill in July of this year, which the President signed on August 8, 2005. I believe this is a good first step in addressing these crucial issues. Through this process, I have encouraged a balanced approach to our national energy policy, promoting renewable resources and better use of domestic resources, such as coal.
One of my top energy priorities is reducing U.S. reliance on foreign oil, particularly from OPEC. To rely on unstable regions, such as the Middle East, for our energy needs is to court disaster. With this in mind, I introduced an energy bill amendment to reduce U.S. oil consumption by one million barrels per day by 2013. Furthermore, I voted to direct the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop new automobile fuel efficiency standards. You may also be interested to learn of my support for a unique project in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, that will transform waste coal into ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel or similar products–the first initiative of its kind in the U.S. I helped secure a $100 million U.S. Department of Energy grant for this plant, which holds the promise of reducing our dependence on foreign oil, while at the same time cleaning the air, using coal waste, and improving water quality by reducing acid mine drainage.
Rising energy costs and increasing gasoline price volatility have had significant effects on our economy and are a major concern to America’s businesses, consumers, and Congress. I have urged President Bush and then-President Clinton to take legal action against OPEC and its oil-producing nations to prevent them from entering into agreements to restrict oil production in order to increase oil prices. I cosponsored S.2270, the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels (NOPEC) Act, which would state explicitly that the price fixing activities of OPEC nations, insofar as they affect American consumers, are actionable under U.S. antitrust laws. In addition, we have to use other means to get tough with OPEC, which I believe is an illegal cartel.
Our nation also needs to maintain a diverse energy supply in electricity production. This should include a major increase in the use of renewable resources, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal energy. Further, we must address our current natural gas imbalance which has driven prices to unacceptably high levels and created price volatility. This affects not only energy production, but already-struggling U.S. manufacturing, such as the chemical and fertilizer industries which rely on natural gas as a feedstock (ingredient) and energy source. Additionally, it is a basic source of heating for our citizens, including low-income families. I support efforts to locate domestic natural gas reserves and bring that gas to market with appropriate environmental protections, as well as increase U.S. energy efficiency to better utilize natural gas and other energy sources.
I am also a strong advocate for research and commercial application of clean coal technologies which could help alleviate natural gas pressure. These technologies are proven to greatly reduce pollution from power plants while providing much greater efficiency in coal use. As our most abundant domestic energy supply, coal is projected to play a key role in energy production well into the future and we must use it more cleanly and efficiently.
In light of recent years’ blackouts, there is much work to be done by Congress to improve our electricity system and ensure that such occurrences are avoided in the future. In particular, I fully support mandatory reliability standards to help avoid future blackouts. It is fair to say, however, that Pennsylvania has come farther than most states in this area after becoming one of the first states to fully implement electricity deregulation. Our regional grid operator, the PJM Interconnection, is viewed as the national model.
Securing a reliable national energy plan is vital to ensuring the stability of our country. This important issue deserves Congress’ consideration so that we may best serve the interests of the environment, national security, taxpayers and consumers. I assure you that I will continue to work in the best interests of Pennsylvania and the nation to guarantee our position in the world and our citizens’ quality of life.
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