According to a study from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Lab wind energy could provide 20 to 30 percent of the eastern half of the country’s energy needs by 2024.  Achieving this goal would require a substantial investment both onshore and offshore.  The production of wind energy is increasing rapidly. According to the American Wind Energy Association, last year energy production increased by more than 9,000 megawatts, bringing America’s total wind power generating capacity to 35,000 megawatts, enough to power 2.4 million homes. Little of this wind energy, however, is being produced in the Northeast.

If we are to take advantage of wind power - particularly offshore wind - then we would need to begin to install turbines in windy places in the East and begin to develop rapidly our capacity to manufacture turbines in the United States. Just miles off New Jersey's shore, the ocean breeze blows reliably at up to 20 miles an hour, the same rate as in the Great Plains. Last year the Department of the Interior conducted a survey of the resources that could be recovered from the Outer Continental Shelf.  It found that responsibly developing offshore wind could provide 1,000 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power the electricity use of 60 percent of cities on the East Coast and replace 3,000 medium-sized coal powered power plants.  New Jersey has been at the forefront of this effort, as I discussed with the Secretary of the Interior last year in New Jersey. One private venture has committed to build a $1 billion, 345 megawatt wind farm in the ocean off Atlantic City, and two other projects have been approved by the Department of the Interior.  Congress should encourage more investment to ensure we take advantage of this resource and help fuel the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Verified Voting in NJ

The New Jersey Superior Court ruling on computerized voting machines doesn’t solve the fundamental need to implement a paper ballot system that makes it possible to ensure the accuracy of vote tallies. The court found that "[s]ecurity vulnerabilities are present, to some degree, in every voting system.”  Yet the ruling allows for the continued use of New Jersey’s paperless touch screen voting machines, while requiring increased security measures and requiring New Jersey’s 11,000 voting machines to be re-evaluated by a panel of experts within 120 days to determine whether they are accurate and reliable.

If, as the court acknowledges, security vulnerabilities exist, then the court and the citizenry should want the possibility of audits capable of detecting and correcting inaccurate vote counts, whether due to software errors or malfeasance.  With nothing but an electronic record, which the voter cannot personally verify, there is no way to audit the vote. The fundamental purpose of the lawsuit was to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the vote tallies.  I continue to work toward a national standard that would require paper ballot voting systems accompanied by accessible ballot marking devices for voters with limited vision and other disabilities and require routine random audits of electronic voting tallies.

Autism in our Community

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced a study determining that nearly one in 100 children have autism spectrum disorder. New Jersey's prevalence rate is similar. Across the state, families, educators, and support organizations are doing tremendous work supporting those affected by autism. In Central New Jersey, the Eden Autism Services provides, per its mission statement, "a range of community-based services to meet specific needs throughout the lifespan." Such services include comprehensive, individual education services for kids, family support services, and adult work education and employment assistance.

This week I was honored to be selected as the Eden Appreciation Person of the Week in part for past efforts to help Eden secure funding to update its curriculum and make it available to schools across the nation. I appreciate the recognition, although my appreciation is for the dedication and hard work of the excellent organizations, schools, and agencies like Eden who assist those affected by autism.

Sincerely,

RUSH HOLT
Member of Congress