Congressman Dave Reichert

Mercer Island, WA, Aug 5, 2008 - Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08) introduced legislation late last week that would allow advanced biofuels to replace petroleum in the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The Promoting Real Opportunities for Energy Security Act (PRO Energy Security Act), H.R.6823, would give the Secretary of Energy the authority to acquire advanced biofuels for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) instead of crude oil. The option to acquire advanced biofuels would be triggered if the price of oil stays above $75 a barrel for 3 consecutive days. This would provide a stable market for advanced biofuels and promote further research and development to bridge to our nation’s energy independent future.

"We all understand that we must move away from an oil-based economy. This legislation is a step government can take to help spur domestic production of alternative fuels,” Reichert said. “Easing the pain at the pump for families, consumers and businesses comes through action, and a multifaceted approach. This legislation serves as a catalyst for important energy research and development. The government can be an ideal investment partner by giving financial security to researchers and investors to develop alternative energy by creating additional demand. American innovation is the key to our cleaner, more secure energy future and this bill can help us get there. And what better way to help make our energy policy more secure than using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve itself to create a market that will help get us off of foreign oil.”

Reichert’s recent work on energy policy and independence focuses on a multifaceted plan with short-, mid- and long-term solutions to wean the country off of, fossil fuels – in particular, from foreign sources – to cleaner, renewable domestic sources such as plug-in hybrids and by utilizing options available now, such as the promotion of mass transit. In recent weeks, Reichert’s legislative action on the energy crisis includes:

• Got a transportation amendment passed (June 26, 2008) as part of the Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008 (H.R. 6052), that promotes mass transit use by providing additional funds for bus park-and-ride lots to better serve suburban commuters; and,
• Got an amendment passed through the Science and Technology Committee (July 16, 2008) that advances the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, a critical alternative energy source for the Pacific Northwest.

For more information on Reichert’s work on energy, visit http://reichert.house.gov.  

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