Investing in Renewable Technologies
At a time of record-breaking oil prices, conflict in the Middle East,
and global warming, Congressman Baird believes we need a new approach
to our outdated energy policy and must reduce our dependence on foreign
oil.
Congressman Baird is particularly concerned with global warming caused
by greenhouse gas emissions. The emission of carbon dioxide poses a
threat to the environment and the well-being of people around the
world. He believes that the United States has a responsibility to lead
the rest of the world in combating global warming, and that is why he
is a committed advocate for expanding renewable energy production in
the Northwest. Producing energy domestically from renewable sources
will promote national security, environmental conservation, and
economic growth. Unfortunately, less than two percent of our nation's
electricity is generated by non-traditional sources of power such as
wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
As a member of the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus in
Congress, Congressman Baird has been a leader in the House in
advocating for increased attention to the development of renewable
energy technologies. He has sent letters to the Administration urging
their support for renewable energy. He has also cosponsored legislation
to increase development of plug-in hybrid vehicles, develop ocean
renewable technologies through wave energy, increase the percentage of
"flex-fuel" vehicles that run on biodiesel and extend and enhance tax
incentives for the production and use of alternative energy.
Congressman Baird supported a comprehensive legislative package that
aims to put us on a path toward energy independence, lowers energy
prices, promotes energy efficiency and clean energy research, and
begins to address global warming. This historic bill will make the U.S.
more energy independent, respond to the global warming crisis, and grow
our economy by improving vehicle fuel economy, increasing production of
alternative fuels, setting new energy standards for appliances and
lighting, increases energy savings in commercial, government, and
public buildings, increases research and development into alternative
fuels, and invests in "green" jobs. The package passed the House in
December of 2007 and was signed into law.
Congressman Baird has also advocated for an extension of various
important tax incentives that encourage the production of renewable
energy, including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, river currents,
ocean tides, landfill gas, and trash combustion resources.
Increasing Energy Efficiency
One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to combat global
warming and reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to conserve energy.
Congressman Baird has been a leader in Congress on decreasing the use
of electricity in this country by increase the energy efficiency of
buildings.
Buildings currently account for 80 percent of all electric expenditures
in the U.S. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included targeted tax
incentives to reduce power consumption in newly-constructed commercial
buildings and retro-fitted existing commercial buildings.
Unfortunately, these incentives were set to expire in 2006. In the
109th Congress, Congressman Baird helped introduce legislation that led
to a one-year extension of the commercial buildings tax deduction. In
2007, Congressman Baird introduced the Buildings for the 21st Century
Act to extend the deduction through 2013. This important legislation
was included in an energy package that passed the House in August of
2007.
Congressman Baird is also an original cosponsor of the Cool and
Efficient Buildings Investment Act, which would allow for a 20-year
depreciation recovery for heating, ventilation, air condition, or
commercial refrigeration systems. This bipartisan legislation gives an
important incentive for building owners to upgrade to more energy
efficient systems.
Finally, Congressman Baird believes we need to pass increased Corporate
Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards. He has cosponsored the Fuel
Economy Reform Act, which would increase CAFE standards to 27.5 miles
per gallon by 2012 and 35 miles per gallon by 2018. After 2018 it would
require increases in fuel economy standards by 4 percent per year as
long as it is determined to be technologically and economically
feasible. It would further ensure that these increases in fuel economy
standards do not compromise vehicle safety.
Buying Green to Save Green
In 2008, Congressman
Baird lead the effort to encourage consumers to spend their stimulus
rebate checks on energy efficient products and services. Buying energy
efficient appliances not only helps our environment, but helps
consumers save money every month, and helps stimulate our economy. To
make this program successful, Congressman Baird reached out to some of
the largest home product retailers in the nation and many offered
special incentives and promotions on energy efficient products and
services.
Congressman Baird believes that this is a multi-win situation. Thanks
to the promotions offered by retailers, people saved money right
away on the purchase price of these products. In many instances, there
were also tax credits and other benefits available for energy efficient
products. By investing in energy conservation products, people will
save even more money on their energy bills for years to come and
increase the value of their home in the process. Nationwide, as more
and more people reduce energy consumption, we will reduce the overall
demand for energy, helping to lower prices across the board. Finally,
by taking these steps together, we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
and help prevent climate change and ocean acidification.
Ending Price Gouging at the Gas Pump
Congressman Baird believes the federal government has a responsibility
to investigate price gouging by oil companies. Following Hurricane
Katrina, Congressman Baird sent letters to the Administration and
Speaker of the House demanding investigations into allegations of price
gouging. In addition, Congressman Baird is an original cosponsor of the
Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act. This legislation, which passed
the House with bipartisan support, would ban the sale of gasoline and
other liquid fuels at prices that are "unconscionably excessive" when
the President declares an energy emergency. This bill gives the Federal
Trade Commission the explicit authority to investigate and punish those
who are involved in price gouging during an energy emergency.
Congressman Brian Baird also believes the federal government needs to
crackdown on unregulated energy speculators who are likely manipulating
markets and driving up gas prices. Congressman Baird has been an original
co-sponsor of the Prevent Unfair Manipulation of Prices (PUMP) Act.
This legislation will provide federal oversight of the nearly 75
percent of energy speculation that is currently unregulated. In
addition, it would increase penalties for market manipulators.
Lowering Electricity Rates
Low-cost electricity is critical to sustaining the economy of our
region. Low electricity rates allowed manufacturing to thrive in the
Northwest for a half century. Unfortunately, our manufacturing base is
threatened by electricity prices which have climbed as much as 50
percent since 2001. We simply cannot expect our manufacturing base to
remain intact as electricity rates continue to climb. Congressman Baird
has worked extensively to lower rates. He took the lead in Congress
when Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposed a 15 percent rate
increase. Eventually, BPA relented and lowered the 15 percent increase
to two percent.
In maintaining his strong efforts to provide low electricity rates for
consumers, Congressman Baird has led the effort in Congress to block an
Administration proposal to require BPA to use additional revenue to
pre-pay its debt to the U.S. Treasury. If this proposal were to take
effect, Northwest ratepayers could see an increase of up to 10 percent
in their monthly energy bills. As this would have a devastating impact
on the Pacific Northwest, Congressman Baird will continue to fight to
block this proposal.
Monitoring Liquefied Natural Gas Proposal
In August of 2005, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed into law.
Among other things, the Energy Policy Act grants the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission exclusive authority to approve applications for
onshore Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals. Congressman Baird voted
for an amendment to strike this provision. The amendment would have
protected the authority of state and local governments to ensure that
LNG facilities are sited in areas where they do not pose a threat to
public safety and ensure that such facilities are not located in places
where they pose a threat to sensitive coastal and ocean areas.
Unfortunately, this amendment failed by a slim margin.
Congressman Baird is concerned that residents of Southwest Washington
near the proposed LNG facilities along the Columbia River may be
negatively impacted by the new expedited process. After careful and
thoughtful review of the Waterway Suitability Report for the proposed
Bradwood Landing LNG project, Congressman Baird came out in opposition
to the plan. While he recognizes the local benefits to the project,
including job creation and gas production, there are three main areas
of great concern to him: the safety and security measures that would
need to be implemented to make the Columbia River suitable for LNG
traffic, the impact on the environment, and the effect the project, and
accompanying pipeline, would have on private property owners.
As the process continues, Congressman Baird will continue to work with
constituents and federal, state, and local stakeholders to ensure that
Southwest Washington residents are consulted and that their concerns
are adequately addressed.
Protecting Our Community from Radioactive Waste
Approximately 54 million gallons of highly radioactive waste await
treatment in temporary, underground storage tanks at Hanford. Some of
the tanks have already leaked waste into the surrounding soil. Nuclear
waste residuals collected from the Columbia River - which lies 12 miles
from waste storage tanks - currently exceed levels scientists predicted
would not be reached for hundreds of years. Congressman Baird believes
the Department of Energy (DoE) is failing to fulfill its
responsibilities to the citizens of Washington, in part because DoE has
deposited low-level nuclear waste in unlined soil trenches. Under state
law, significantly less dangerous wastes, such as municipal household
garbage and gasoline tanks, cannot be dumped into unlined trenches.
Congressman Baird introduced legislation to stop DoE from dumping
nuclear waste into the soil.
Additionally, DoE has attempted to internally and arbitrarily
reclassify millions of gallons of high-level nuclear waste as low-level
waste, blatantly violating the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, a position upheld in federal court. DoE then attempted to amend significant portions of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act
to allow reclassification of high level waste at Hanford. When this
proposal came to the House of Representatives, Congressman Baird helped
lead the successful fight in Congress to prevent DoE from abandoning
high level nuclear waste at Hanford.
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