Pairing Environmental Protection with Economic Growth

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Voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act

This bill will create millions of new American jobs, limit the pollution that causes climate change, and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil by investing in American-made clean energy.

• Creates 1.7 million new clean energy jobs.
• Reduces oil use by 5 million barrels a day – more then our country imports from the Middle East and Venezuela.
• Saves American families hundreds of dollars a year on their energy bills.

Setting America on the Path to Energy Independence: Investing in Renewable Energy

Voted for H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

• Invests over $60 billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and tax cuts across the county. This investment will double the amount of renewable energy produced over the next three years, create over 900,000 jobs, and put us on the path to long term green energy growth.

Co-sponsor of H.R. 890, the American Renewable Energy Act

• Creates a Renewable Portfolio Standard, requiring utilities to generate or buy 25 percent clean, renewable energy by 2025. Sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and bioenergy will be used, creating nearly 350,000 jobs.

Co-Sponsor of H.R. 2222, the Green Communities Act

• Enables cities to get technical advice from national experts on how best to plan, design, and implement a green infrastructure strategy for addressing their economic development needs. This is the type of public-private partnership that we need right now to get the economy moving.

Co-Sponsor of H.R. 1778, the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) Program

• Creates a national energy efficiency home retrofit program which would retrofit over 5 million homes, create nearly 850,000 jobs, and save homeowners more than $3 billion per year on their energy bills.

Creating Green Jobs and a Clean Energy Infrastructure

Secured over $250 million for Green Job/ Clean Energy Projects in Bucks County

• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will bring over $250 million in investments to the 8th District to help construct the next generation of wind turbines, build more solar fields, create a smart energy grid, increase energy efficiency in public buildings, and weatherize family homes.

Voted to Create the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

• This important new grant program was funded with $3.2 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Over $4.7 million was awarded to Bucks County and local municipalities to be used to fund projects that reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, improve energy efficiency, and create hundreds of jobs.

Secured $800,000 to Create a Green Jobs Training Academy in Bucks County

• The Bridge Business Center in Bristol will serve as the site of the Green Jobs Academy, which will provide workers and students with the training they need to fill new green collar jobs coming to Bucks County.

Introduced H.R. 1249, the Equipping a 21st Century Green Workforce Act of 2009

• Allows renewable energy manufacturers to partner with colleges and universities to donate equipment necessary to train a green workforce.

Introduced H.R. 1492, to Create a Pilot Program to Improve Applied Sciences in Renewable Energy

• Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a research pilot program for awarding grants to certain partnerships to improve education and training in support of applied sciences in renewable energy as part of a comprehensive program to enhance the quality of education.

Sponsoring Conservation Efforts for the 8th District

Secured over $12 million to Protect the Neshaminy Watershed

• This critical flood prevention program focuses on non-structural approaches to prevent flooding. This program not only elevates family homes, but will create parkland alongside the creek and restore critical riparian buffers while creating over 200 jobs.

Secured $700,000 to Preserve the Cooks Creek Watershed

• Using funding from the Highlands Conservation Act of 2004, this critical watershed will receive federal funding in conjunction with state and local sponsors in order to preserve this land as open space for future generations.

Secured $1.1 million to Protect the Mill Creek Watershed

• Located in Bristol Borough and Bristol Township, this important watershed will receive federal funding for flood protections, cleaning up pollution, and preserving stream buffers.

Co-sponsor of H.R. 1831, Conservation Easement Incentive Act of 2009

• These incentives preserve open space and help our hardworking farmers continue working in agriculture – rather than opting for the frequently more profitable avenue of selling their land to developers.

Keeping Our Waters Clean and Safe

Co-Sponsor of H.R. 1310, the Clean Water Protection Act

• Mountaintop removal permanently destroys streams, forests and mountains by dumping waste material into valleys and streams. This bill would change the law to prevent waste dumping.

Co-Sponsor of H.R. 2766, the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act

• Hydraulic fracturing fluids used in drilling are believed to contain highly toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene, methanol, and formaldehyde. These compounds, which can contaminate drinking water, are kept secret from the public as “proprietary information.” This bill simply requires drilling companies to disclose what chemicals they are pumping into the ground, and gives the EPA the authority to investigate cases of pollution.

Investing in Clean Water and the Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Funds

• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $4 billion for assistance to help our communities with water quality and wastewater infrastructure needs, and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure needs.

Preserving Our Pristine Wilderness Areas

Voted for H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act

• This law designates more than 2 million acres of wilderness in nine states and established three new national park units, a new national monument, four new national conservation areas, more than 1,000 miles of national wild and scenic rivers, four new national trails, and much more.

Co-sponsor of H.R. 39, the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act

• This bill prevents reckless drilling in our National Park units.

Co-sponsor of America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act

• This bill is an important way to support conservation efforts on federal lands in Utah.

Co-sponsor of the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act

• This legislation will ensure protection for the wild areas of our National Forests and the many wildlife, recreation, and economic benefits they provide.

Cleaning Up Pollution

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Increases Funding for Critical Pollution Programs

• Brownfields: $100 million for competitive grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites.
  
  
• Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup: $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous sites.
  
  
• Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: $200 million for cleanup of fuel leaks from underground storage tanks.

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