U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

June 7, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


 Sen. Salazar Introduces Renewable Energy Goal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar, along with a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives, introduced a Congressional resolution today setting a goal to create 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2025.

“25x’25 is the roadmap to reduce our dependence on imported oil, enhance national security, improving the environment and create new jobs throughout rural America,”

Senator Salazar was joined by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Collin Peterson (D-Minn), Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) in introducing the resolution.

Over the last two years, support has been building for the 25x’25 initiative, which would tap renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass and biofuels. More than 140 organizations from the agriculture, forestry and environmental communities have endorsed the vision. In addition, Governors Jeb Bush (R-Fla), Mitch Daniels (R-Ind.), Dave Heineman (R-Neb), Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.), Ed Rendell (D-Penn.), Brian Schweitzer (D-Mont.), and Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan) have contributed their endorsements.

Salazar added, “25 x ’25 is an ambitious goal, but not a dream. We have the technology, the natural resources, and we have the national will in cities and towns, farms and ranches across the nation to achieve this goal. Together, we can create a more secure, a more prosperous and a healthier nation that is energy self-sufficient and, ultimately, more secure.”

The Senate Concurrent Resolution introduced by Sens. Salazar and Grassley states:

  • It is the goal of Congress to grow 25% of our total energy supply from agriculture and other renewable resources by the year 2025. The resolution also finds that:

    1) The US has a quantity of renewable energy resources sufficient to supply a significant portion of the energy needs of the US;

    2) Renewable energy sources can help ensure a sustainable domestic energy system;

    3) The accelerated development and use of renewable energy technologies improves National security, rural economies, and environmental quality, and provides abundant reliable and affordable energy for the US;

    4) The production of transportation fuels from renewable energy sources would help us meet the growing domestic and global energy demands, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, stabilize the cost and availability of energy, and safeguard the economic security of the US;

    5) Energy production would attract new investments in energy infrastructure, create economic growth, develop jobs and increase the income for farm, ranch and forestry jobs in rural America.

 

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