Volume 153, No. 102 covering the 1st Session of the 110th Congress (2007 - 2008) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PASSAGE OF H.R. 6” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S8295-S8297 on June 22, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PASSAGE OF H.R. 6
Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I want to thank my friend from Hawaii, the chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, for sponsoring this amendment that was added to energy legislation last evening.
This energy legislation seeks to expand the Nation's supply of renewable biofuels and to begin moving our base of transportation fuel toward renewable energy. Across America, including in my State of North Dakota, American farmers have the ability to grow abundant supplies of corn and energy crops from which ethanol and other transportation biofuels can be manufactured. However, our Nation's ability to produce an abundant supply of transportation biofuels will be of no use if we are not able to transport these biofuels to the population centers where they are needed. Today, due to the special qualities of biofuels, there are no pipelines that can move them to market. Thus, transportation is dependent primarily on trucks and rail, except in those rare cases where water transportation is available between the areas where the biofuels are produced and consumed.
Last week, the Government Accountability Office released a report entitled ``Biofuels--DOE Lacks a Strategic Approach to Coordinate Increasing Production with Infrastructure Development and Vehicle Needs.'' The summary of the report states, in the second paragraph:
Existing Biofuel distribution infrastructure has limited capacity to transport the fuels and deliver them to consumers. Biofuels are transported largely by rail and the ability of that industry to meet growing demand is uncertain.
If our Nation is to realize the potential of sustainable, domestically produced transportation fuels, we can have no uncertainty concerning whether the rail industry can transport the amount of biofuels that the Nation will be producing. Therefore, Senator Inouye and I have joined in this amendment which calls for a joint study by the Secretaries of Energy and Transportation. The study will consider two primary issues and a number of related issues. First, will there be sufficient railroad infrastructure to move the amount of biofuels the Nation will be producing? Second, will that railroad transportation occur in a competitive environment in which the cost is reasonable and the service is reliable?
Ensuring adequate, reliable, and cost-effective rail transportation for ethanol and other transportation biofuels that will become so important to the Nation is an essential element of the Nation's policy to move toward sustainable, domestic supplies of energy. I thank my friend from Hawaii, the chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, for joining with me to pursue this study, and I look forward to working with him to ensure that our national rail system is adequate, reliable, and competitive.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, yesterday the U.S. Senate passed comprehensive energy legislation that will set the course for our national energy security in the decades to come. The members of this body were able to reach important conclusions regarding the need for increased corporate average fuel economy standards, improved energy efficiency for buildings and appliances, a national standard to help accelerate the development of renewable fuels, and carbon sequestration technology to capture carbon emitted through the burning of coal. The Energy bill approved by the Senate truly represents a shift toward a comprehensive, responsible, and focused national energy policy.
Not to be forgotten in establishing this policy are America's small business owners. There are nearly 26 million small businesses in this country--nearly 26 million business owners that are focused on keeping their doors open and putting food on the table for their families. And while climate change and national energy security sometimes seem like distant threats compared to rising health care costs and staying competitive in an increasingly global economy, small business owners are telling us that energy costs are indeed a concern. The National Small Business Association recently conducted a poll of its members, asking how energy prices affected their business decisions. Seventy-
five percent said that energy prices had at least a moderate effect on their businesses--with roughly the same number saying that reducing energy costs would increase their profitability. Despite these numbers, only 33 percent have invested in energy efficiency measures.
In March of this year, I convened a hearing in the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship to look at what small businesses can do to confront global warming. We learned over the course of that hearing just how much can be done to help small businesses become energy efficient. We also learned just how little the current administration is doing. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that small businesses consume roughly 30 percent of the commercial energy consumed in this country--that is roughly 2 trillion kBtu of energy per year, and it's costing small business concerns approximately $29 million a year. Through efforts to increase energy efficiency, small businesses can contribute to America's energy security, help to combat global warming, and add to their bottom line all at the same time.
Last night, I worked with Senator Snowe to include two amendments to H.R. 6 that will go a long way toward helping small business owners become more energy efficient. These amendments, which together represent the provisions included in S. 1657, the Small Business Energy Efficiency Act of 2007, require the Small Business Administration, SBA, to implement an energy efficiency program that was mandated in the 2005 Energy Policy Act. To date, the SBA has dragged its feet in implementing a program that could help small business owners to become more energy efficient. Administrator Preston should implement this important program today, and this bill directs him to do so.
Second, this legislation establishes a program to increase energy efficiency through energy audits at Small Business Development Centers, SBDCs. The Pennsylvania SBDC currently operates a similar program, and has successfully assisted hundreds of businesses to become more energy efficient. As a result of the program, six of the eight winners of the 2006 ENERGY STAR Small Business Awards given by the EPA went to Pennsylvania businesses. This program should be replicated so that small businesses across the country have the same opportunity to cut energy costs through the efficiency measures.
Third, the SBA Administrator is authorized to guarantee on-bill financing agreements between businesses and utility companies, to cover a utility company's risk in entering into such an agreement. The federal government should encourage utility companies to pursue these agreements with businesses, where an electric utility will cover the up-front costs of implementing energy efficiency measures, and a business will repay these costs through the savings realized in their energy bill.
Fourth, the legislation creates a telecommuting pilot program through the SBA. The Administrator is authorized to establish a program that produces educational materials and performs outreach to small businesses on the benefits of telecommuting.
Finally, the legislation encourages increased innovation by providing a priority status within the SBIR and STTR programs that ensures high priority be given to small business concerns participating in energy efficiency or renewable energy system research and development projects.
As a nation, we have much to do to secure our future energy supply and to solve the international crisis that is global warming. Last night's approval of H.R. 6 demonstrates this body's will to set the right course, and America's small business owners should know that Congress is providing them with the tools they need to join the crusade.
Mr. President, last night, we successfully passed comprehensive energy legislation which included a significant increase in fuel economy standards. For far too long, this has been the third rail of energy policy. It has been one of Washington's great failures in leadership. But thanks to a bipartisan effort on the part of so many of my colleagues, these new requirements will cut automobile carbon emissions dramatically and will help put our country on a path toward energy dependence. The oil savings from the CAFE provision alone will ultimately total 1.2 million barrels per day by 2020.
When we first established CAFE standards for passenger cars and trucks in 1975, within 10 years we increased fuel economy by 70 percent and decreased our oil dependence from 36 percent to 27 percent. Ever since then, we have been stuck in neutral. The fuel economy of the average new passenger vehicle is lower today than it was 10 years ago.
We now have overcome the forces of inertia, and our country is now poised to at last revolutionize the way we drive. I am proud of the bipartisan commitment to this issue, which was demonstrated with historic vote. I particularly would like to thank my colleagues, Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens, for their leadership on this issue.
I was proud to cast my vote in support of this important bipartisan energy legislation, which will dramatically increase our use of renewable fuels, incentivize energy efficiency, reduce our oil dependence, and address the growing threat of climate change. This bill truly puts us on a path toward a cleaner, healthier, and more secure energy future.
Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the Energy bill that passed with my support. The bill increases biofuels production from the current mandate of 7.5 billion gallons in 2012 to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The bill also establishes new appliance and lighting efficiency standards in Government buildings and includes Federal grants and loan guarantees to promote research into fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrids, advanced diesel and battery technologies.
I was pleased that this bill included my very important NOPEC amendment, an amendment that passed with the support of 70 Senators. The NOPEC amendment will hold OPEC member nations to account under U.S. antitrust law when they agree to limit the supply or fix the price of oil in violation of the most basic principles of free competition. It will authorize the Justice Department--and only the Justice Department--to file suit against nations or other entities that participate in a conspiracy to limit the supply, or fix the price, of oil. In addition, it will specify that the doctrines of sovereign immunity and act of state do not exempt nations that participate in oil cartels from basic antitrust law. Further, it will give our Government a much needed tool to fight back against the selfish price-fixing conspiracy of OPEC members, a conspiracy that significantly raises the cost of gasoline and other essential energy products to millions consumers every day.
I was also pleased that this bill included an amendment I offered that would allow small manufacturers to access awards under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive title. Considering that small manufacturers that employ roughly 75 employees or less contribute 29.5 percent to all value added to automobiles, it made sense that they should have the opportunity to get these awards.
I was disappointed that the Energy bill didn't include provisions to require utilities to provide 15 percent of their electric power from renewable sources by 2020. The reduction in the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity would have strengthened our national energy security by diversifying our sources of electric generation. Also, the bill did not include an energy tax package that would have created incentives for renewable power, biofuels, plug-in hybrids, clean coal and other technologies.
Taken together, this bill allows the United States to become more energy efficient in a cost effective and responsible way.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss our efforts to address the energy challenges that are facing our Nation today and the solutions we need for tomorrow. I am pleased that the Senate last night passed a comprehensive energy bill that moves our Nation forward.
We all know how important energy is to our economy, our families, and our quality of life. The high cost of energy is putting a painful squeeze on every sector of my home State: Commuters notice every time they fill up the tank; businesses are struggling with the higher costs of transportation; industry is feeling the impact of higher energy costs, and farmers feel the pain both in the price of fuel and fertilizer.
The question is, what are we going to do about it? It is clear there are no silver bullets.
It is going to take smart policies, carried out consistently over many years, to begin to change the way we use and save energy.
Overall, I believe we must focus on several priorities, including: making America more self-reliant so we are less dependent on foreign sources of energy; using innovation to meet our energy needs in creative ways; supporting conservation to reduce our energy demands; investing in education so we can cultivate the scientists, researchers, and workers of the new energy future; and protecting consumers from unscrupulous energy manipulators.
Before I turn to those specific priorities, I want to share with the Senate some of the innovative things that leaders in Washington State are doing to meet our energy needs.
Washington State is moving forward on renewable sources of energy like wind energy.
In April, I had an opportunity to visit the Hopkins Ridge Wind Farm in Columbia County, WA. This is a Puget Sound energy facility that has 83 wind turbines. When they are running at peak capacity, they can generate enough energy on an average basis to supply about 50,000 homes.
In fact, the Ports of Longview and Vancouver in southwest Washington have become a gateway for bringing wind energy components into the United States. I have been able to support their work through the wind energy tax credit. Last year, I got to visit the Port of Longview and see how our longshoremen expertly handle these massive turbines.
Washington's agriculture community is stepping up and embracing renewable sources of energy. This Spring, I was in Colfax, WA, for a roundtable discussion with farmers, and energy was a big part of the discussion.
I can tell you that Washington State farmers are poised to become active players in the renewable energy market. We talked about ways to help them make the transition into biofuel crops.
And there are other innovative projects. In Gray's Harbor, we are moving forward with a biodiesel plant. It will be a new home for Washington state biofuel production, a new source of jobs for the people of Grays Harbor County, and a new way to combat high gas prices. And in the Tri-Cities, we are moving forward with a new research center on biofuels and bioproducts.
In my home State of Washington, we have also been testing some cutting edge technology that puts information into the hands of consumers so they can make informed decisions about how--and when--they use energy.
With the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and other partners, I helped kick off a GridWise demonstration project to test smart appliances. These appliances give consumers the power to decide when to run them based on the cost of energy. For example, your thermostat could indicate to you when heat costs are at a premium. Or you could set your dryer to run only when energy is a certain price.
We all know that the cost of energy fluctuates throughout the day. Unfortunately, today's consumers don't know the real cost of energy at any given time. So it is hard for them to make informed energy choices.
These innovative appliances were tested for a year in 150 homes, a water-pumping station and a commercial building. The results are impressive. Researchers found that giving consumers these tools helps save energy and reduce demand on the electricity grid. They found that real-time pricing can also alleviate the need to build a new substation.
So I am really proud of the innovative work that is already underway in Washington State, and both Senator Cantwell and I believe it can serve as a model for the progress we can make in the rest of the country.
Now I would like to turn to my energy priorities and some of the positive steps that this bill takes.
My first priority is to help make America more energy self-reliant. Here at home we have tremendous demand for energy and that demand is growing. Unfortunately, today we are still too dependent on foreign sources of energy, particularly oil. That dependence affects our security and our relations with other countries. We need to reduce our dependence, and we can do that through some of the measures in this bill. This bill includes a renewable fuels standard that will increase our use of renewable fuels, including biofuels like cellulosic ethanol and biogas. It also includes tighter CAFE standards for our auto industry, and it increases the number of bioresearch centers focused on biofuel. This bill will also help us diversify our fuel sources by promoting alternative fuels, such as ethanol, biogas, and biodiesel.
I am disappointed that important tax incentives, which would spur the development of renewable electricity, increase the production of alternative transportation fuels, and help homeowners who make their properties more energy efficient, were blocked in a procedural effort by the minority. I am hopeful that these important investments will be restored as this legislation moves forward.
Second, we need to use innovation to help meet our energy needs. This bill will help move forward our innovation agenda by increasing research and development funding for new technologies. It authorizes funding for research in States with low rates of ethanol production. This investment could help Washington get off the ground in the area of cellulosic ethanol. This bill also boosts research in carbon capture and storage. We are doing some interesting work on that at PNNL in my home State, and I am pleased to support further research.
Third, we need to be more aggressive about conserving energy. It is everything from choosing compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy efficient appliances to consolidating errands so you make fewer trips in your car. Through this bill, the Federal Government will lead by example by using energy efficiently and employing conservation practices. It includes, as I mentioned, higher CAFE standards on our vehicles, which will help conserve gasoline. It will promote efficient lighting technologies, efficient vehicles and advanced batteries.
Fourth, we need to expand education so we have the scientists, researchers, and workers to help us reach a new generation of energy innovation.
The existing and new technologies that we will deploy to increase our self-reliance are complicated, and we need to make sure we have a well-
trained workforce that is able to implement these forward-thinking technologies. This entails both continuing education for our current workforce, but also training the workers of tomorrow. We must provide these training programs while our young people are still in our educational system.
In my home State of Washington, several universities are addressing these needs by offering curriculums in this area. For example, Gonzaga University in Spokane has a transmission line worker training program.
Central Washington University in Ellensburg wants to teach its students how to operate the efficiency technologies of the future. I think we should support these efforts by ensuring funding for programs like these. I am pleased that this legislation calls out this important issue.
In Washington State, we are also working to educate the next generation of energy innovators.
Washington State University, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the State of Washington have worked together to create the Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory in Richland.
This is a pioneering research center where researchers will develop technology to turn biomass into energy and products. It will have teaching laboratories and classrooms and is located on WSU's Tri-Cities campus. I have been pleased to support this project from its inception, and I will continue to do so.
Finally, we need to protect consumers from those who would manipulate the price of energy to take advantage of high demand. One of the things that the Enron scandal revealed is that some people were happy to create false shortages of energy in order to drive up the price.
This bill helps us fight energy manipulators through a price-gouging bill that I co-sponsored, which is including in the underlying bill.
We have a lot of challenges in front of us as individuals and as a country when it comes to energy. But we also have the ability to craft responsible, smart legislation that will help move us in the right direction.
I am pleased to be working to make our country more self-reliant, to invest in innovation, conservation and education and to help protect consumers. I am honored to come from a State that is producing some of the most innovative energy ideas anywhere, and I am excited about moving this bill forward so we can use that progress to benefit our entire country.
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