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Environment
- Energy
There is no “magic bullet” to immediately solve our energy
crisis, but by focusing on investments in alternative energy sources,
allowing new domestic energy production, and improving regulation
of energy markets, we can make our country more energy independent
and provide relief from record-high gas and oil prices.
John continues his fight to reduce high gasoline prices and implement
a long-term energy policy for the nation by co-sponsoring the
“Gasoline Price Reduction Act of 2008.” This bill encourages development
of plug-in electric cars and trucks, strengthens oversight of
the energy futures market, and allows additional deep-sea energy
exploration and oil shale production.
In 2003, John led the fight against the Republican-sponsored Energy
Bill because it contained a “safe harbor” provision for manufacturers
of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), which is a groundwater
pollutant. New Hampshire and several other states were pursuing
lawsuits against MTBE manufacturers that would have been nullified
by the safe harbor provision. Moreover, the legislation was much
too expensive, containing enormous subsidies for ethanol and fossil
fuels. He also opposed the 2005 Energy Bill, which included taxpayer-backed,
federal loan guarantees for power plant construction, subsidies
for mature oil technology such as coal, and unnecessary tax subsidies
for oil companies.
The 2007 bi-partisan Energy Bill, however, earned John’s support
because it provided long-overdue legislation that increased fuel
economy standards for the first time in 32 years in an amendment
John co-sponsored, and encouraged investment in renewable energy
technology among other provisions.
John is also a co-sponsor of the “Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act”
- bipartisan legislation that contains a series of renewable
energy tax provisions that extend energy production tax credits
and incentives to improve the energy efficiency of new and
existing homes, businesses, and appliances. The initiative, which
passed as an amendment to Senate housing legislation on April
10, 2008 would extend the current tax credits for renewable energy
generated from solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, biomass, landfill
gas, and trash combustion sources. John’s provision to provide
a new 10-percent tax credit for the purchase of energy efficient
wood pellet stoves is also included – an initiative he advocated
in his Renewable Tax Parity Act of 2007.
- Emissions Legislation
The debate over emissions is a tough and complicated one,
however, it is important to get two important policy questions
right: First, emission credits should be allocated to electricity
providers based on their output. This creates incentives for the
most efficient producers. Second, stringent standards must be
set for reducing pollution from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide,
and mercury. For too long, New Hampshire has paid a penalty for
being downwind from Midwestern coal plants.
In 2007, John joined Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) as a lead Republican
co-sponsor on the "Clean Air Planning Act" - legislation
that takes this approach and would significantly reduce levels
of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury
in the air.
In June 2008, John voted in support of moving the “Lieberman-Warner
Climate Security Act” forward for consideration. At that time,
John co-sponsored amendments to include provisions of the Clean
Air Planning Act into the bill. Unfortunately, not enough votes
were secured to move the bill forward. In the months ahead, John
hopes the Carper/Sununu bill can be used as a blueprint for compromise
because it seeks to set standards for multipollutants.
John’s lengthy record of fighting against mercury pollution includes
a 2003 vote in favor of a six-month delay in the implementation
of New Source Review - new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
requirements for coal-fired electricity generating facilities
that were too lenient on sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and mercury.
The amendment was rejected 46-50. And in 2004, John joined a bipartisan
group of colleagues in writing then-EPA Director Michael Leavitt,
urging him to take action and clean up mercury pollution from
power plants by withdrawing EPA’s proposed rule package and re-proposing
a new rule.
In 2007, John signed a bipartisan letter to EPA Director Stephen
Johnson urging approval of the Northeast Regional Mercury Total
Maximum Daily Load cleanup plan. While state and federal regulations
have made great strides combating high mercury levels in air and
water sources, tougher federal standards are needed. Northeastern
states have a plan to reduce mercury pollution and Administrator
Johnson has the ability to implement these guidelines and put
them in place. Additionally, John has co-sponsored the “Mercury
Emissions Control Act” to help protect Americans from the harmful
effects of mercury by reducing mercury emission by 90% by 2015.
The legislation requires the EPA to finally put in place a more
stringent mercury emissions rule for power plants, as required
by the Clean Air Act. A similar provision was incorporated
into the Carper - Sununu Clean Air Planning Act.
- New England Wilderness Act of 2006
For a number of years, local and state officials, citizens’ groups,
and other concerned individuals had worked to designate more wilderness
in the White Mountain National Forest. Listening to them and working
to help achieve this goal, John wrote the “New Hampshire Wilderness
Act of 2006”, later renamed the “New England Wilderness Act of
2006” to reflect the additional inclusion of protected land in
Vermont.
The Senate passed the legislation unanimously on September 29,
2006, the House of Representatives subsequently approved the bill,
and President Bush signed it into law on December 1, 2006. Under
this law, approximately 34,500 acres of White Mountain National
Forest land in the Sandwich Range and Wild River areas has been
designated as “wilderness.”
Upon Senate passage of the bill, Jane Difley, President/Forester
of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests said,
“This is terrific news for New Hampshire and for the White Mountain
National Forest. The Wilderness designation is the first of several
steps to fully implement the White Mountain National Forest Plan.
On behalf of the 10,000 members of the Forest Society, I commend
Senators Sununu and Gregg for their strong support of not only
the Wilderness Act, but the entire WMNF plan.”
Richard Minard, President of New Hampshire Audubon, said, “Senate
passage of the ‘New England Wilderness Act of 2006’ attests to
the national significance of New Hampshire’s remaining wild places
and the value that we all place in keeping those lands wild. New
Hampshire Audubon celebrates the bill’s adoption and the leadership
of Senator John Sununu and Senator Judd Gregg. By designating
parts of the Sandwich Range and the Wild River areas as wilderness,
the bill fulfills the vision of a broad coalition of New Hampshire
residents and protects wildlife habitat for generations of Granite
Staters to come.”
- Lamprey River
John’s dedication to preserving and protecting one of New Hampshire’s
most valuable natural resources - the Lamprey River - began in
the United States House of Representatives and continues in the
United States Senate. While serving in the House, he authored
“The Lamprey Wild and Scenic River Extension Act” (H.R. 1615)
– legislation that President Clinton signed into law on May 2,
2000. The bill added a 12-mile section of the Lamprey River to
the National Wild and Scenic River system, and extended the boundary
designation to the town of Epping in an effort to help preserve
more of the river’s historic and recreational characteristics
and further protect its water quality.
Located near New Hampshire’s Seacoast, the Lamprey River runs
through portions of Strafford and Rockingham counties, and is
the largest of the state’s rivers to flow into Great Bay, a designated
National Estuarine Research Reserve, which includes approximately
4,500 acres of tidal waters and wetlands. The Lamprey River is
one of the state’s most historic waterways, home to early-American
industrial and commercial sites such as Wiswall Falls Mill in
Durham, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the Senate, John’s support for the Lamprey
River includes:
- Securing $900,000 in Fiscal Year 2005 Department of Interior
funds to provide for land acquisition along this federally-designated
Wild & Scenic River; and,
- Securing $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2006 Department
of Interior funds for land conservation efforts along the Lamprey
River.
Information on the United States Environmental Protection
Agency can be obtained at: www.epa.gov
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