 |
| Wilson Working to Ease Impact of Home Heating Costs on New Mexicans |
October 24, 2005 |
| |
| Congress Recently Boosted Support for Heating Low-Income Homes
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson, visiting the Central New Mexico Housing Corp., today highlighted recent congressional efforts to ensure affordable home heating and pledged to continue focusing on the need.
“Home heating costs are rising and that’s a concern for many New Mexicans, particularly seniors on fixed incomes. Natural gas is the main source of heat for half of America’s homes and about seven out of ten New Mexicans,” said Wilson, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “A balanced energy policy is more important than ever.”
Wilson was a member of the House Task Force for Affordable Natural Gas during the 108th Congress, and continues to work on the issue as a member of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
Rising Prices
Hurricanes Rita and Katrina increased the strain on our natural gas supply, although prices and demand were already rising. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that it will take until the end of the first quarter of 2006 for Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas production disrupted by the hurricanes to return to near normal levels.
As of October 15, 2005, more than 55 percent of Gulf-area natural gas production was still shut down. The Gulf area supplies more than 20 percent of American-produced natural gas. Natural gas is also a primary source of energy for manufacturers.
New Mexico ranks second among U.S. states in natural gas production, providing 10 percent of the natural gas consumed in America everyday.
Federal Help for Home Heating
This year, more than 54,000 New Mexicans are receiving home heating help, more than $9.6 million in federal assistance, through a federal program called LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) authorized by Congress and administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Energy Policy Act of 2006 passed the House 275-156 on July 29, 2005 with Wilson’s support and was signed into law on August 8, 2005 in a ceremony at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. It funds LIHEAP at $5.1 billion yearly through 2007.
The Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3010) passed by the House on June 10, 2005 also includes more than $2 billion in LIHEAP funding for fiscal year 2006.
For information on qualifying for federal help through LIHEAP call 1-800-432-6217 or learn more at http://www.liheap.ncat.org/profiles/NM.htm.
For information on improving your home’s weatherization, visit the Department of Energy at http://www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/ or call 505-843-6880 to apply for assistance in New Mexico.
For information on general federal benefits you may be eligible for visit http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits/index.jhtml
A Balanced Energy Policy
The Energy Policy Act was a four-year legislative effort to codify a U.S. energy policy. It includes a Wilson-sponsored provision encouraging energy resource development by Indian tribes, whose land includes an estimated 10 percent of U.S. energy reserves.
The Energy Policy Act establishes an American energy policy with balanced objectives, increasingly important as worldwide demand for energy increases. Wilson advocates a comprehensive strategy that includes energy exploration, conservation and development of renewable energy as we work toward lower fuel prices.
“A comprehensive national energy policy is critical to our nation’s economy and our national security. Energy expenditures account for about 7 percent of our total economy and influence prices in the much of the rest of the economy,” Wilson said.
Wilson Provision Encourages Tribal Energy Resource Development
A provision offered by Rep. Wilson included in the new law improves energy development and job creation (including electricity generation and renewable projects) on Indian lands. The legislation authorizes tribes to enter into agreements with the Secretary of Interior on the development of their energy resources.
These agreements, called Tribal Energy Resource Agreements, allow Indian tribes the freedom to develop both traditional and renewable energy resources with rights similar to private land owners.
Tribal lands comprise about five percent of U.S. land, but hold an estimated 10 percent of all energy reserves in the United States, including 30 percent of known coal deposits in the West, five percent of known American onshore oil deposits and 10 percent of known onshore natural gas deposits.
The Department of the Interior estimates that only a quarter of oil resources, and less than one-fifth of gas resources on Indian lands have been developed, and the amendment helps limit delays in getting the required federal approvals. If a Tribe has an Energy Resource Agreement, tribes can pursue and approve energy development without obtaining prior approval from the Secretary of Interior on each individual project.
Participation by tribes will be voluntary and the tribal regulations must include a tribal environmental review process that allows for public comment. If petitioned, the U.S. Interior Secretary could review a tribe`s compliance with its own energy regulation and either suspend or rescind the agreements or the regulations.
The provision establishes an Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs within the Department of Energy and authorizes a federal grant and low-interest loan program to aid tribes in developing the necessary energy infrastructure and expertise. |
|
|
|