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7/31/14
Energy & Commerce: Fighting to Keep the Lights On - 7/31/14
Advocates for affordable energy and American jobs put on a full-court press this week to fight against EPA’s destructive proposed plan to take over states’ electricity systems and shut down the nation’s coal industry. As the administration continues to tout its Clean Power Plan as an opportunity for “investment,” members of the Energy and Commerce Committee are standing up to expose the cold hard truth about how EPA’s new power plant rule will drive up electricity rates and send U.S. jobs overseas while doing nothing to change the weather or the global climate.
Members of the committee joined Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other members of Congress today at a rally in support of coal’s jobs and energy. The members were joined by singer Jimmy Rose who sang his hit “Coal Keeps The Lights On,” which speaks to the importance of coal to communities across the country and the harmful effects of the Obama administration’s regulatory policies on American workers and their families.
Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus (R-IL), who highlighted Jimmy Rose’s song last year on the House floor, spoke at today’s rally and stood up for coal communities left abandoned by this administration. He exclaimed, “This is an attack on not just a current way of life, but a heritage that has made this country great. ... It’s intentional. It’s planned. And it’s a direct assault on coal mining areas and, really, low-cost power in this country.”
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) added, “Coal has kept the lights on in America, and coal has provided the energy for America’s innovation for generations. It’s affordable. It’s reliable. … This is not about politics. It’s not even about failed policies … This is about hard-working Americans who get up every day wondering how they are going to make it another day because of what is going on in Washington, D.C.”
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) also attended today’s rally and questioned EPA’s legal authority to overhaul our energy industry and shut down the nation’s coal plants. Griffith declared, “Let me tell you something else when they say there is not a war on coal. Ask the EPA: Where is their authority for these new regulations under the Clean Air Act? … This is not about policy, but it is about the administration’s war on coal. We must win this war for the people of America.”
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) traveled today to EPA’s headquarters to testify at a public hearing and described the negative consequences of the agency’s proposed rule for American families and our economy. “Obama and his EPA have shown a callous disregard for hardworking Americans they are hurting with excessive regulations. These families are not just statistics, they are people. They are husbands and wives, moms and dads, neighbors and friends. … Of course, we all want clean air. But we need to achieve it in a way that doesn’t impose a crushing cost on hardworking American families. The impact will be felt far beyond West Virginia and other coal producing areas. We’re just the front lines,” said McKinley. “The increased cost of electricity will be borne by those who can least afford it – seniors on a fixed income and low income families. It will make American manufacturers even less competitive. This will lead to more good paying jobs going off shore to other countries where they’re burning coal.”
The Energy and Power Subcommittee held a hearing on Tuesday with the Commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to examine some of the implementation challenges associated with EPA’s Clean Power Plan. FERC Commissioners expressed great concerns over the potential of EPA’s plan to raise energy costs and reduce electric reliability.
Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) echoed these concerns and stated, “I find EPA’s proposed efforts dictating electricity usage to be troubling. This is an area where the reach of the federal government has been limited, and for good reason since these local resource decisions are best left to states… Most of all, I am very concerned what this proposed rule would do to electricity costs for consumers and for job-creating businesses.”
And full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) expressed anxiety over EPA’s potential to diminish energy diversity, stating, “Maintaining a diverse energy portfolio is a core component of this committee’s vision for America’s energy future – a vision we call the Architecture of Abundance. … Maintaining diversity – both diversity in our electricity generation portfolio as well as a diversity of strategies for meeting a state’s electricity needs – is critical to affordable and reliable energy. But EPA’s top-down Clean Power Plan will give us less of both kinds of diversity.”
The Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to fight for a true “all-of-the-above” energy portfolio that allows coal to remain a viable part of America’s energy future. We are saying yes to coal, yes to jobs, and #Yes2Energy.
7/30/14
Rep. Lummis: EPA's Carbon Plan Illegal, Hijacks Grid - 7/30/14
Washington, D.C. – The Science, Space, and Technology Committee today convened a hearing to examine the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approach to implementing a far-reaching plan to reduce U.S. carbon emissions. Chairing the hearing, Energy Subcommittee Chairman Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) made the following statement.
Chairman Lummis: “Today, we examine one of the most sweeping regulatory proposals in America’s history. The EPA is continuing its regulation rampage, attempting to take control of our nation’s electric system without any legal or scientific justification.
“The EPA’s “Clean Power Plan” reaches well beyond just the regulation of power plants. The EPA wants to control the entire system, right down to the amount of electricity Americans use in their homes.
“The implications of this overreach are staggering. The rule has the potential to shut down power plants across the nation, raise energy prices and threaten energy security. And for what? Even EPA admits that the rule will have little to no impact on global warming.
“EPA’s proposal would impose standards on states that turn their power systems on their heads. Each state’s reduction mandate varies widely, based on what EPA claims can be done through a combination of costly efficiency technologies, drastic fuel switching, and unprecedented reliance on intermittent renewables and energy rationing.
“States, companies, utility commissioners and local officials are left figuring out how to comply, which will necessarily involve higher prices and potentially threaten grid reliability. The EPA claims the rule is flexible, and that compliance is easy. But EPA’s assurances are of little comfort when the standards are beyond what technology can deliver.
“The ability of the EPA’s “building blocks,” which might as well be called mandates, to produce the required reductions is uncertain at best. The limited analysis in this rule is based on black box models and untested assumptions. This hides the hard fact that states will be left holding the bag on an expensive overhaul of our electric system to reach theoretical and unproven targets.
“The confusion also hides a more fundamental concern: the EPA is operating outside the bounds of the law. The Clean Air Act does not give the EPA the authority to regulate the electric grid or tell “Americans where to set their thermostat. Instead, EPA is limited to technology-based standards at the power plants themselves.
“As our witnesses will explain, had EPA followed the law and been honest about what technology can accomplish, the rule might be manageable. But since the law doesn’t match the President’s partisan agenda, the EPA is now bypassing Congress to rewrite the statute. This comes as no surprise from this Administration.
“The EPA also ignores technology and reliability concerns. The Administration hasn’t fully considered the potential impacts of this proposal on the electric system, the economy and the American people.
“A scientific look at the proposal reveals major problems. EPA’s claims are backed by flawed technology assumptions. It relies on unrealistic scenarios about our nation’s energy future. And EPA’s conclusions are based on a secret model, hidden from public view.
“Instead of providing useful tools for state and local policymakers, the analysis appears to be nothing more than window-dressing for a predetermined outcome.
“We see this all too often at the EPA. It undermines the scientific review process and moves straight to regulation. The law requires a bottom-up review of what can be accomplished at a power plant. Instead, the EPA has proposed top-down regulation of the entire electric system.
“This rule needs to be withdrawn. It fails to meet even the most basic standards of objectivity and transparency; and it lacks technical analysis on scientific and economic feasibility. The American people deserve to know exactly what the EPA is doing, and that is why we are having this hearing today.”
For additional information on today’s hearing, including witness testimony, visit the Science, Space, and Technology Committee website.
7/28/14
Rep. Heck Applauds Three Kids Mine Bill Being Signed into Law - 7/28/14
WASHINGTON - Congressman Joe Heck (NV-03) today released the following statement upon learning that President Barack Obama signed H.R. 697, the Three Kids Mine Remediation and Reclamation Act, into law.
The bill provides an innovative public-private partnership solution to finally clean up the abandoned Three Kids Mine site in Henderson at no cost to federal taxpayers. It is estimated that the clean up and development of the Three Kids Mine site could create as many as 3,000 jobs over the life of the project.
"This new law will help get southern Nevada back to work," Rep. Heck said. "If Nevada's economy is going to continue improving, it will need room to grow. That is the long-term economic development opportunity this law provides the city of Henderson."
Rep. Heck continued, “Today is a perfect example of how the Nevada delegation can come together and advance issues important to our local communities. I look forward to working with Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen, the Henderson City Council, and all of the stakeholders to get the Three Kids Mine redevelopment project off the ground as soon as possible."
“I would like to congratulate Congressman Heck for creating an innovative solution for the cleanup of the Three Kids Mine Site,” said Western Caucus Chairman Steve Pearce. “The law calls for a public-private partnership to clean up a mine that the federal government neglected for so many years. This new law will not cost taxpayers a dime, will help the environment, and will create thousands of direct jobs while allowing for future economic development on the property.”
THREE KIDS MINE TIMELINE:
February 14, 2013 - Rep. Heck Introduces Bill to Clean Up Three Kids Mine Site
July 22, 2013 - Three Kids Mine Bill Passes House
July 10, 2014 - Senate Passage of Three Kids Mine Bill
July 25, 2014 - President Obama signs H.R. 697 into law
BACKGROUND:
* The Three Kids Mine site is a 1,260 acre abandoned manganese mine and mill site located along the south side of Lake Mead Drive, across the highway from Lake Las Vegas, in Henderson.
* The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Federal lands at the project site – approximately 948 acres – at fair market value taking into account the costs of investigating and remediating the entire site, which includes an additional 314 acres of now-private lands that were used historically in mine operations.
* In return for conveying the land at fair market value, the Federal Government will also receive a release of liability for cleanup of both the Federal and private lands.
* Before the Federal lands are conveyed, the State must enter into a binding consent agreement under which the cleanup of the entire project site will occur.
* This agreement must include financial assurances to ensure the completion of the remediation and reclamation of the site.
* The cleanup will be financed with private capital and Nevada tax increment financing at no cost to the Federal government.
* H.R. 697 is the result of more than five years of work among the City of Henderson Redevelopment Agency, the Department of the Interior, the State of Nevada, and private entities.
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7/25/14
Energy & Commerce: One Month After House Vote, Gardner Urges Senate Action on LNG as Russian Aggression Escalates - 7/25/14
WASHINGTON, DC – One month after the House approved H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity, and Global Freedom Act, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO) today urged the Senate to take action on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to help diminish Russia’s influence and create more jobs at home. With Russian aggression escalating, the need for LNG exports has never been greater, and the United States has an opportunity to help allies in Europe and across the globe. It is time for the Senate to finally act so America can fully utilize its energy abundance to bolster our economy and be a global energy leader.
“The U.S. has an opportunity to show leadership. We cannot continue to sit on our hands and wait to see what Russia does next. The House did its job, and it is time for Harry Reid and the Senate to do their job,” said Gardner. “Although the Senate is pretty good at it, doing nothing is not an option. It is time for the Senate to follow our bipartisan lead, and stand up for American workers and our allies.”
Click HERE to watch Gardner’s full message to the Senate - See more at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/one-month-after-house-vote-gardner-urges-senate-action-lng-russian-aggression#sthash.8hPi9MEL.dpufClick HERE to watch Gardner’s full message to the Senate
7/24/14
Natural Resources: Federal Land Managers Intimidation, Bullying Threaten Citizens Rights, Create a Hostile Environment - 7/24/14
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations held an oversight hearing on “Threats, Intimidation and Bullying by Federal Land Managing Agencies.” This hearing continued Committee oversight into bullying by federal land management agencies and federal law enforcement agencies on private, state, and federal lands.
State and local governments, ranchers, business owners, and private citizens have been subject to threats, lack of cooperation, and numerous unfair or heavy-handed tactics which threaten public safety, the environment, endangered species, and the livelihoods of communities. Congressional oversight is necessary to provide an effective check on federal officials who abuse their regulatory powers.
“Today we took a second look at threats, intimidation and bullying by Federal Land Managing Agencies. During a hearing the Committee held last year and again today, we heard first-hand accounts of mistreatment at the hands of federal officials seeking to extort the witnesses into relinquishing their property rights,” said Representative Doug LaMalfa (CA-01). “These firsthand accounts give the victims of abusive conduct by a federal land managing official a chance to tell their story to Congress. Status quo agency oversight, policies and procedures are inadequate for addressing or deterring employee abuses and may instead embolden overreaching or malicious employee behavior with little risk of retribution for their actions.”
Witnesses highlighted examples of flagrant intimidation met by citizens who refuse to surrender their constitutional rights, land and water rights, grazing permits and other multiple-use benefits.
Sheriff James Perkins, Garfield County, UT, highlighted his perspective from 27 years of law enforcement and experience working with various federal law enforcement agencies.
“BLM’s attitude towards coordinating with local law enforcement is summed up best by a conversation I had with a BLM law enforcement officer while we were attending a drug task force meeting in Cedar City, Utah. He told me point blank that he didn’t care about any authority that I thought I had as the Garfield County Sheriff, and that he did not feel like he had to coordinate anything through my office… This refusal to coordinate, coupled with a lack of any meaningful oversight, has created a perfect environment where the abuse of federal law enforcement powers can occur.”
Leland Pollock, Garfield County Commissioner, Garfield County Utah, testified on how BLM law enforcement has moved away from a public service philosophy due to polarization of personnel and bullying and cancellation of cooperative agreements.
“Our concerns/ complaints are not just a matter of hurt feelings, bullying, intimidation, lack of integrity, and a host of social issues. BLM’s Chief of Law Enforcement has cost Garfield County real dollars… We are befuddled how one individual can override a State Director and negatively impact an entire county with impunity.”
A. Grant Gerber, Elko County Commissioner, Elko Nevada, discussed specific examples of wrongdoings, threats, intimidation, and bullying by both BLM law enforcement and a district manager.
“When I was a boy and as I grew up the few Federal Agents were mainly local or from rural areas and fit in well with the local area. They knew the people and worked cooperatively. Now the Federal agents are predominantly from outside the area and do not develop connections with the locals as was done previously. Many start off with a belligerent attitude, even a commanding presence. They are especially offended if anyone opposes any Federal Government actions. The worst are the Federal Law Enforcement Agents that arrogantly announce that they are not governed by Nevada law, but can enforce it if they choose. Now we have been informed, that without notice of hearings, the BLM has determined that two more BLM Law Enforcement Agents are necessary to control the people in the Elko area. All of this is resulting in less use of Federal Lands by citizens as the citizens become afraid of being accosted and berated.”
Jose Valera Lopez, President of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, Rancher, Santa Fe New Mexico, testified on current justifications Federal Land Managers use to intimidate and bully including Endangered Species protection and resource protection.
“Endangered species ‘protection’ is the biggest culprit. At the moment the Fish and Wildlife Service is considering critical habitat for the lesser prairie chicken, the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, and two varieties of garter snakes. Expansion of the Mexican wolf habitat is expected as early as tomorrow. We have had 764,000 acres in New Mexico and Arizona recently designated critical habitat for the jaguar although only a few male jaguar have been sighted in the U.S. over the last 60 years… In my own case, the BLM has been buying up private lands near my family ranch within the boundaries of an Area of Critical Environmental Concern that they designated part of their Resource Management Plan. They not refer to our ranch as an in-holding. What this designation has done is de-valued our land and effectively prohibits any type of future development on the ranch.”
7/21/14
Members Request Ag Department Report on Cost & Feasibility of Lesser Prairie Chicken Conservation Measures - 7/21/14
WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (OK-03), and 11 Members of Congress recently sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking for a copy of a report, as required by law, on the cost and effectiveness of the Department’s conservation measures for the lesser prairie chicken.
The Agricultural Act Conference Report, passed by the House in January and signed by the President in February (P.L. 113-79), requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to submit the report within 90 days. More than 150 days have elapsed, and the Department has not provided a copy of the report to Congress.
“This report is perhaps even more important now, following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) decision in March 2014 to list the lesser prairie chicken as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In our view, it is unfortunate that this listing, driven by the Department of the Interior's settlement deadline negotiated with certain groups, proceeded despite the FWS' approval last fall of a comprehensive five-state rangewide plan that is already demonstrating positive results for the lesser prairie chicken,” wrote the Members in the letter. “We request that your Department provide this report immediately to appropriate Committees as required by the law, so that millions of private landowners, states and other stakeholders that are investing significant resources for conservation of this species can ensure that the cost and effectiveness of federal programs are being properly accounted for, and to provide Congress information it requested prior to the listing.”
Click here to read a full copy of the letter.
7/15/14
Energy & Commerce Chairman Fred Upton Unveils Energy Policy Vision with Pillars of the Architecture of Abundance - 7/15/14
WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) today addressed the Energy Information Administration 2014 Energy Conference to share his new vision for America’s energy policy – the Architecture of Abundance. Upton outlined the five pillars needed to construct this new architecture: modernizing infrastructure, maintaining diverse electricity generation, permitting a new manufacturing renaissance, harnessing energy efficiency and innovation, and unleashing energy diplomacy. He described a number of steps the House has already taken toward constructing a 21st century energy policy, and expressed optimism for the future in achieving bipartisan success.
Remarks As Prepared
Thank you so much – happy to be here talking about one of the most exciting public policy issues in America: our energy abundance.
Let me begin by telling you a little bit about my M.O. as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I got my start working in the Reagan administration where I learned it does not matter who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done. That’s how I operate my committee – every good idea is welcome, and we do better when we work together.
We have plenty of bipartisan success to show for it. In the 112th Congress, 88 Energy and Commerce bills passed the House, and 40 of them were signed into law. In the 113th Congress, 62 Energy and Commerce bills passed the House, and 15 have been signed into law. And we’re heading into the homestretch. All but a few of these bills we’ve moved have had bipartisan support.
It’s no secret that I’ve been disappointed by the Senate’s failure to follow our lead and get many more bills signed into law – especially on energy. I’m going to keep on reaching out, welcoming new ideas, and working to get the job done – and today, we’re going to talk about how we can get that job done, particularly when it comes to energy.
I am often asked about America’s energy policy. Do we have one?Is it time to change?
I’d like to share my vision for what America’s energy policy is today, and what it ought to be tomorrow.
But first, let’s remember our energy past. Perhaps you remember hearing these words: “The oil and natural gas we rely on for 75 percent of our energy are running out. In spite of increased effort, domestic production has been dropping steadily at about six percent a year. Imports have doubled in the last five years. Our nation’s independence of economic and political action is becoming increasingly constrained.”
Those words were spoken by President Carter in 1977. He predicted that we could lose our nation’s economic independence. But earlier this month, as we celebrated America’s independence on the 4th of July, we welcomed the real prospect for energy independence with news that by some estimates, the U.S. is now the world’s biggest oil producer, surpassing Saudi Arabia and Russia.
In fact, we have more energy than any other nation and according to EIA, we produced enough energy in 2013 to meet 84 percent of the country’s demand – a remarkable turnaround from 2005, when we hit a low of just 65 percent.
You heard yesterday from Daniel Yergin about the vast potential for American energy production and the resulting economic investment and growth.
It’s a new era of energy abundance, and we need to usher in a new era for energy policy.
I call it the “Architecture of Abundance.” Here’s what I mean: we need to construct a whole range of tools to take full advantage of our energy abundance – we need to better connect these resources to the people who need them. And we need to do it in a safe and responsible way that protects the environment. It’s about building infrastructure, yes, but it’s about much more.
Our new energy vision can be understood as five distinct but clearly related policy concepts –the five “pillars” to construct this new architecture.
Pillar I: Modernizing Infrastructure
First, let’s look at energy transmission and distribution. It’s time to modernize and update our energy distribution infrastructure. This will allow us to keep up with burgeoning supplies and better connect new sources of energy with all American consumers.
We can do this with targeted changes to federal laws that provide certainty, predictability and fairness – in other words, we’ll take politics and obstruction out of siting new energy infrastructure and bring back accountability to pipeline permitting agencies.
We have already started – let me give you some examples. We’ve already passed H.R. 3, a bill that would finally approve the Keystone XL pipeline. We’ve also already passed H.R. 3301, a bill I wrote with Democratic Representative Gene Green from Texas to make sure energy projects with our North American neighbors are never again caught in Keystone-style gridlock. And we’ve also passed H.R. 1900, a bill to restore predictability to natural gas pipeline permitting by setting shot clocks and clear processes for project review and approval.
Building new energy infrastructure is essential, and there is much more work to be done.
Pillar II: Maintaining Diverse Electricity Generation
Our second pillar is diverse electricity generation. We all need and reliable power, and everyone – families, schools, businesses, hospitals, manufacturers – everyone benefits when it costs less to keep the lights on.
That’s why we’re so concerned about the administration’s aggressive approach to limit and undermine critical baseload sources of generation like coal and nuclear.
We’re going to continue to press for answers on how EPA and the states plan to implement the new climate rules. We can also support a diverse portfolio by enacting targeted changes to federal laws to make sure all sources of electricity generation can compete in the market.
We have begun offering ideas in this area as well – let me give you some examples.
We’ve already passed H.R. 3826, a bill to make sure EPA’s new power plant rules are achievable in the real world, and to put Congress back in the driver’s seat on the rule for existing plants. In the last Congress and again in this one, we’ve approved H.R. 2218, a bill to put a more sensible, state-based regulatory system in place for coal ash recycling and management, and we’re also going to keep pressing the administration to follow the law when it comes to nuclear waste.
Again, these bills are just the starting point when it comes to our electricity supply.
Pillar III: Permitting a Manufacturing Renaissance
Our third pillar has to do with permitting – not just for energy projects, but for manufacturing.
Manufacturers and other energy intensive industries need the confidence to make multi-billion dollar, long-term investments – including new foreign direct investment – in this country. To do that, we should make it easier to plan for new or changing regulatory requirements.
One example of a bill to improve the permitting process and welcome this new manufacturing renaissance is a bill that cleared our committee just last month. H.R. 4795, the Promoting New Manufacturing Act, is pretty simple – it would increase transparency and require timely rules and guidance for certain air permits. This is another area ripe for future action with new challenges from GHG permitting and ozone on the horizon.
Pillar IV: Harnessing Energy Efficiency and Innovation
Our fourth pillar is about energy innovation and efficiency. Energy efficiency is just common sense – it saves money and resources, and we know it can be done through private-sector led innovation and without having to limit consumer choices. That means prioritizing efficiency legislation that helps to save taxpayer dollars with no costs or mandates. It also means updating laws that haven’t adapted to today’s new energy realities, like the renewable fuel standard.
This is one area where we have already had quite a bit of success.
Back in March, the House approved H.R. 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act. That bill included four separate energy efficiency measures, including the Better Buildings Act to establish a Tenant Star program, which builds on the original Energy Star initiative to encourage commercial tenants and landlords to work together on highly efficient leased spaces.
We’ve passed other efficiency measures as well, including energy efficiency in schools, energy efficiency in federal buildings, and bills to promote hydropower. And there will definitely be more to come.
Pillar V: Unleashing Energy Diplomacy
Our fifth and final pillar is energy diplomacy. Let’s face it, energy is a global commodity, and those who have the energy have the power. We’re seeing this play out in real time with Russia, and we know how chaos in the Middle East affects us here at home.
We have an opportunity to use our energy as a diplomatic tool; we can take care of our domestic needs and have enough energy left to let our allies buy it from us, rather than being held hostage to unstable regions of the world.
That means making sure our current laws are not creating artificial barriers to the market and conducting oversight to ensure increased exports do no harm to American consumers.
Let me give you an example of how we can use energy as a diplomatic tool. We recently passed H.R. 6, a bill that will speed up the approval of natural gas export applications at the Department of Energy and improve the process going forward. More than two dozen export applications are pending at DOE, and some have been waiting for more than two years. Even DOE says we have enough natural gas to meet our needs here at home and support our allies around the world.
Our work will continue next year as we conduct oversight of oil, coal, nuclear and renewable technology exports as well.
A Resilient Foundation
Those five pillars make up the architecture, and they can be built on a foundation of modern tools to meet modern challenges. Let me give you a couple of examples: as we look at our energy infrastructure, we can make sure it is resilient to climate risks and that it can prevent and withstand emerging threats such as cyber and physical attacks.
The climate is an issue that often comes up when we talk about energy policy, and I agree that it ought to be part of our conversation. One thing we should all be able to agree on is that storms are becoming more destructive because more people and property stand in their way.
We do need energy infrastructure that is resilient to weather events; what we don’t need is a climate policy that will hamstring our economy and make energy more expensive, all without actually changing the climate.
So what are some specific steps we can take to accomplish this? We can work with state and local officials to enact a pro-infrastructure agenda. And we can build safer and more resilient pipelines and transmission lines to help respond to weather emergencies.
Potential Benefits
Those five pillars, that’s the energy vision – now let’s talk about why we need it.
America has a lot to gain if we put the right energy policies into place: jobs and economic growth, cheaper energy and products for the middle class and particularly for the most vulnerable, and a stronger position in the world.
So let’s conclude by returning to where this conversation began: American energy policy.
America’s energy policy today includes some good ideas, and some not so good ideas – but mostly, it reflects the sheer power of American ingenuity to overcome obstacles and develop new technologies that will allow us to make the most of our resources.
America’s energy policy in the future needs to do better. Ingenuity, innovation, and technology have unlocked these resources, but we need infrastructure, regulatory structure, and a global vision to take full advantage of them.
All of these elements, together, in a broad energy vision: it’s the Architecture of Abundance.
A Bright Future
Things looked different when I first came to D.C. – a different majority in Congress, and certainly very different ideas about energy policy. Think about it. Back then, our energy policy was based on an assumption of scarcity – a belief that we were literally running out of oil and gas. That belief turned out to be wrong. We now can talk about North American energy independence, not reliance on oil sheiks and petro dictators. We have a chance to bring real benefits and security to hard working Americans.
For as long as I have been here, I have believed that no matter which party was in charge, lawmakers from different backgrounds with different ideas could come together to get things done. I still believe that today.
I believe this is our moment. I believe we can work together to improve people’s lives. And I believe energy is a place where we can do it. We can and we will enact these policies to build the Architecture of Abundance.
Yes, we need willing partners in the Senate and the White House, and I believe that come next year, the time will be right to get these policies moving. The great economic news coming from energy-producing states is going to increase awareness of these issues, and I’m convinced the American people are going to expect us to act. If the pundits are right, then Republicans are going to have an opportunity, and we’re going to have to prove we can govern. I’m excited about the possibilities.
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7/9/14
Energy & Commerce Committee Leaders Seek EPA Cooperation in Power Plant Rule Probe - 7/9/14
WASHINGTON, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today wrote to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to follow up on the committee’s request for documents and information relating to the agency’s consideration of carbon capture technologies in developing its greenhouse gas emissions standards for new power plants. The committee initially wrote to EPA in March with the request, but the agency has yet to produce the documents and information necessary for congressional oversight.
In today’s letter to McCarthy, Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) summarized communications between the committee and EPA related to the request and pressed the agency for a timely and complete response.
They wrote, “A May 9, 2014, response to the committee from your staff states that EPA ‘is committed to providing the committee information necessary to satisfy its oversight interests.’ During a May 20, 2014, meeting between EPA and committee staff, EPA staff further acknowledged the legitimacy of the committee’s inquiry. EPA staff also stated during that meeting that the agency had collected approximately 7,000 potentially responsive documents and expected to begin reviewing these documents in early June. Now, more than three months after receiving the committee’s request letter, EPA has produced to the committee only publicly available documents posted on the EPA docket with one exception: a 12-page non-public document ‘Preliminary Analytic Blueprint’ dated April 11, 2011. Even this document was not complete as EPA staff redacted the names of the EPA ‘Workgroup’ members. In a letter dated June 20, 2014, accompanying the production of this document, your staff stated that while EPA believes it has completed collection of responsive documents, it intends to withhold ‘deliberative’ documents from the committee for an indeterminate period of time, and at least until completion of its current rulemaking. The deliberative process privilege, a common law privilege, has no applicability with respect to Congress and certainly not to EPA’s responses to the committee’s requests for documents.
“Although committee staff has met with your staff to discuss the committee’s requests and the importance of the agency making a timely, good faith demonstration that it will cooperate with the requests, to date, EPA has been wholly unresponsive to the committee. EPA has not communicated a valid claim of privilege or provided any other valid reason for withholding documents from the committee. If EPA intends to cooperate voluntarily with the committee’s requests, we ask that you produce the responsive documents no later than July 23, 2014. To the extent that EPA has decided not to produce responsive documents and requests an accommodation from the committee, please provide by that date a log of such documents, describing each document EPA is withholding and explaining in full your reasons for seeking an accommodation. Should EPA fail either to produce the documents or provide a suitable log by July 23, 2014, this committee will seek to compel their production.”
To view the full letter to McCarthy, click HERE.
7/9/14
44 Groups Urge Secretary Kerry to Act on Keystone XL - 7/9/14
(Washington, D.C.) - Today 44 groups, including business, labor, and consumer organizations, joined together in urging Secretary of State John Kerry to end the delays blocking construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, finish the National Interest Determination process, and grant final approval on the presidential permit. The letter explains that the State Department’s latest excuse for shelving the project – a pending court decision in Nebraska – is unwarranted, stating, “The issue of our national interest will not be affected or changed by the outcome of the Nebraska decision. The Keystone XL Pipeline has been studied longer than any pipeline project in U.S. history.”
We are now at 2118 days and counting since the application to build the jobs and energy infrastructure project was first submitted to the department in 2008. There is no question that this monumental, shovel-ready project is in the national interest. The State Department’s own analysis shows the project will support tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic growth without significant impact to the environment. Many communities throughout the Midwest are depending on this project to revive their economies. American workers and consumers have been waiting long enough. It’s time to say #Yes2Energy. It’s #TimeToBuild.
Industry groups are pressing Secretary of State John Kerry to resume and complete the final review of the Keystone XL oil pipeline that his department halted earlier this year.
In a letter sent Tuesday, 44 industry groups asked to meet with Kerry to discuss the pipeline and answer any questions he might have about the $5.4 billion project.
"The Keystone XL Pipeline has been studied longer than any pipeline project in U.S. history," states the letter signed by the American Petroleum Institute and National Association of Manufacturers, among other groups.
"We write today to request the State Department immediately complete the Keystone XL Pipeline National Interest Determination (NID) process and grant the final approval on the presidential cross-border permit," the letter adds.
The department had 14 days left in its national interest review of the pipeline, but stopped the clock in April to better understand ongoing litigation in Nebraska, which has placed a section of Keystone's route in question.
Environmentalists, ranchers and farmers in Nebraska challenged the route of the pipeline, claiming it puts their livelihoods and communities at risk.
In the letter, the industry groups argue that multiple environmental impact statements by State have found that the pipeline is safe and would not drastically contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
"The issue of our national interest will not be affected or changed by the outcome of the Nebraska decision," the letter states.
But with the latest delay in State's review, it is unlikely that President Obama will make a decision on the fate of the pipeline before early 2015.
7/7/14
Energy & Commerce: America Winning in Oil Production - 7/7/14
Bank of America reports that the U.S. has now eclipsed Saudi Arabia to become the world’s largest oil producer. According to Bloomberg, “U.S. production of crude oil, along with liquids separated from natural gas, surpassed all other countries this year with daily output exceeding 11 million barrels in the first quarter. …”
This news is just the latest indicator of America’s emerging energy supremacy. In 2010, the U.S. overtook Russia as the world’s number one natural gas producing nation.
The shale gas revolution is proving to be a boon to America’s economy and consumers’ wallets. Reporting the bank’s findings, Bank of America’s Francisco Blanch said, “The shale boom is playing a key role in the U.S. recovery. If the U.S. didn’t have this energy supply, prices at the pump would be completely unaffordable.” A study from IHS last year found American energy production will contribute $2,000 per household to family incomes by 2015.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) said, “America has achieved the unthinkable in surpassing Saudi Arabia in oil production, and the benefits of this energy abundance are clear—more jobs, lower prices, and greater global energy security. Now that we have emerged as an energy superpower, the next step is ensuring we have the right policies in place to take full advantage of our energy leadership.”
Last month, the House voted on a package of bills to allow America to fully realize the benefits of our abundant energy resources. H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, authored by Chairman Upton and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), establishes a clear and efficient approval process for pipelines and transmission lines that cross the borders of the United States with Canada or Mexico. The bill will help facilitate the construction of job-creating infrastructure projects to transport North America’s growing energy supplies to markets and consumers. H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act, authored by Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), expedites DOE’s approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, which will create more jobs here at home and increase energy security abroad. It is now time for the Senate to take up these commonsense measures and say yes to America’s energy potential.
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