Energy/Environment

Renewable Energy

Congressman Lynch believes that the federal government must take an active role to reduce our energy consumption and dependence on foreign oil, and create a secure and sustainable energy future. For this reason, Congressman Lynch voted in favor of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, which passed the House of Representatives on June 26, 2009 by a vote of 219-212. The bill moves us toward these goals by promoting renewable, clean energy resources, energy efficiency, reducing global warming pollution and transitioning to a clean energy economy. The bill will help create jobs in the green technology sector, reduce our dependence on foreign energy supplies and fossil fuels, and provide for critical, long term energy security, which is vital to expanding our economy.

Energy Assistance

While we work to achieve an affordable and sustainable energy future, it is important that we continue to ensure that people who are struggling to make ends meet can afford to heat their homes. That is why Congressman Lynch continues to support the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP provides home heating fuel assistance to families or individuals in Massachusetts with an income within 200% of the federal poverty level or 60% of state median poverty level. Data indicates that through this program states assisted 8.3 million households last year, a 33 percent increase in the number of households served from the previous year. In the 1111th Congress, Congressman Lynch supported efforts to make sure that residents of cold weather states received sufficient LIHEAP funds. He also supported the Energy Assistance for American Families Act, a bill to increase the authorized funding level for LIHEAP to $7.6 billion per year for fiscal years 2011 to 2014. Increasing the authorized LIHEAP funding level will allow states to meet this increased demand and to continue to provide meaningful aid.