Washington, DC (May 21, 2008)- Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee released energy and climate principles that they believe will allow the United States to continue to prosper while moving toward fuel diversity and clean energy. The principles are the product of the Energy Security and Climate Change Task Force convened by Rep. Joe Barton (R-T) and headed by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI). The six principles are: Lower Gasoline Prices; Unlock Domestic Energy Resources Immediately; American Economy and American Jobs Come First; More Clean Energy; Get Smart about Energy Efficiency; and Share Technology with Developing World.
The principles call for considering a range of domestic fuels including coal-to-liquids (CTL), hydrogen, cellulosic ethanol, compressed natural gas and shale oil. They call for doubling nuclear power generation by 2030, while continuing research on solar, wind, coal, diesel, geothermal and hydrogen energy. The principles call for smart meters, electricity peak-load pricing, consumer co-generation, distributed generation, and upgrading the transmission grid.
Unlike the House climate principles released by Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) and Energy and Commerce Committee member Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) on April 22, the Republican principles do not specifically call for reducing GHG emissions to avoid dangerous global warming. The Democratic principles lay out four key goals for global warming legislation: reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming; transition America to a clean energy economy; recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and aid communities and ecosystems vulnerable to harm from global warming.
Related Resources:
House Republican Principles on Energy and Climate
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Releases Principles for Global Warming Legislation