Energy Independence

Congresswoman Lowey remains concerned by American reliance on foreign oil sources. Over the last three decades, each of the four major spikes in oil prices (1973, 1979, 1990 and 2000) has been followed by a recession. Lowey believes it is vital to our national security and economy to significantly increase our investment in alternative energy sources and to reduce our dependence on foreign sources.

That is why she cosponsored the Energy Independence and Security Act, passed by the new Democratic Congress and signed by the President. This legislation mandates the first congressional increase in fuel efficiency standards in 32 years; slashes U.S. oil consumption by more than twice our daily import total from the Persian Gulf; and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by nearly a quarter. Lowey also favors increasing production of biofuels, making new vehicles more energy efficient, and promoting the introduction of technologies such as plug-in hybrids.

For information on what you can do to help reduce our country off its dependence on foreign oil and save on your family’s monthly energy bills, click here.

Fighting to Provide Relief at the Pump

Rep. Lowey is fighting to provide relief for families from the highest gas prices in history. That is why she voted for voted for the Federal Energy Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would reduce the price of gas by protecting consumers from unfair price-gouging by oil companies. Lowey also voted to increase the domestic oil supply by temporarily suspending additional storage of oil reserves in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve until the end of 2008, increasing supply and reducing gas prices.

Rep. Lowey supports increased regulation of energy speculators, which have contributed to the skyrocketing cost of oil. Lowey voted for the Energy Markets Emergency Act, which directs the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to immediately curb the role of excessive oil speculation and to eliminate price distortion, sudden or unreasonable fluctuations or unwarranted changes in prices. Lowey also cosponsored legislation to close the “Enron loophole” by adding energy to the list of commodities that cannot be traded electronically on commercial markets unregulated.

Safe and Clean Energy Development

Congresswoman Lowey strongly believes that the development of renewable sources of energy is a key step in moving our country closer to sustainable, environmentally-friendly energy production. Lowey supports legislation passed by the House to roll back subsidies and tax breaks for Big Oil and reinvest $14-18 billion in clean, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and alternative fuels. 

During her time in Congress, Lowey has consistently opposed energy measures that would endanger the environment or fail to advance a comprehensive strategy to relieve our dependence on foreign oil. She opposed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which would have opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to extensive oil and gas drilling and provided billions of dollars in royalty and tax relief to companies producing the dirtiest forms of power. Lowey opposed a provision that would force municipalities rather than MTBE manufacturers to shoulder the nearly $29 billion in clean-up costs associated with MTBE, a suspected carcinogen, that has seeped into thousands of drinking water wells in New York and around the country. 

Nuclear Security

September 11th underscored the vulnerability of our nuclear power plants to a catastrophic terrorist attack. In the absence of strong federal leadership and oversight, profit-driven energy companies have been slow to respond to these threats, cutting security costs wherever and whenever possible.

Rep. Lowey strongly believes that the threat posed by the Indian Point nuclear plants is unacceptable because of the dense surrounding population and its proximity to New York City. Lowey is working to ensure that the plant be closed down in an orderly manner. She secured $1 million for the National Academies of Science to study options for replacing the power generated by Indian Point. The report, which compared strategies for meeting power demand without Indian Point, indicated that it could be closed without jeopardizing energy output or raising energy costs with proper planning.

In addition, Lowey has cosponsored legislation to take the following security measures:

  • Demand an Independent Safety Assessment of the design, construction, maintenance, and operational safety of Indian Point, as well as an evaluation of its radiological emergency plan by the Department of Homeland Security;
  • Require that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) distribute funds collected as fines for safety violations to counties surrounding nuclear facilities, which are required to maintain radiological emergency plans;
  • Authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish no-fly zones around nuclear facilities located near major metropolitan areas, including Indian Point;
  • Deploy top-flight federal guard teams to all commercial nuclear power plants;
  • Require that any nuclear plant receiving a renewed license meet the same standards that a new plant would be required to meet; and

Mandate state and county certification of emergency plans as a precondition for the continued operation of all commercial nuclear power plants, in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s continued certification of the evacuation plans for the communities surrounding Indian Point despite lack of support by local and state officials and the first responders charged with carrying out the plans.