Senate Democrats on Energy Independence
Posted by peakguy on Saturday November 11, 2006 at 11:42 AM EST
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair, Energy Independence 2020
As a companion to the post about the House Democrats plan on transportation and energy, nyc.theoildrum.com there is the Senate Democrats plan on Energy Independence by 2020. democrats.senate.gov With the Senate now definitely being run by Democrats, we might as well get a head start on what the Senate Democrats think about energy policy.
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I have to say that as a statement of principles, I like this better than the biofuel heavy House Democratic Plan. It's certainly a broader approach that looks at many more pieces of the energy picture.
Reduce Burdens on Consumers and the Environment
*Prevent oil company price gouging, market manipulation, and disaster profiteering
*Increase energy market transparency and consumer choice at the pump
*Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to cover increased household energy costs
*Provide car buyers with accurate fuel economy information
*Protect pristine public lands from short-sighted oil and gas exploitation
*Enhance funding for weatherization and low-income energy assistance in all climates
Launch an Apollo Project for Energy
*Free the US from foreign oil by 2020 by supporting research, development, and production of alternative energy sources..
Diversify and Expand Our Energy Supplies
*Establish a national electricity standard that requires greater use of renewable energy
*Enhance incentives for energy production from solar, wind, and geothermal
*Increase dramatically the production of domestically grown biofuels
*Increase environmentally friendly extraction of oil and gas from existing domestic sources
*Encourage construction of the Alaskan natural gas pipeline
*Support the development of a hydrogen economy
*Promote deployment of advanced clean coal technology with carbon capture and storage
Improve Energy Security and Reduce Price Volatility
*Create geographically diverse strategic gasoline and jet fuel reserves
*Streamline fuel specifications while maintaining state clean air protections
*Encourage the development of a smarter and more distributed electricity system
Reduce Demand for Oil and Natural Gas
*Lower petroleum use in the federal fleet and improve government conservation efforts
*Provide consumers with more fuel efficient vehicle choices
*Develop renewable substitutes to replace natural gas use in the petrochemical industry
*Improve infrastructure and electricity options for hybrids and plug-in hybrids
*Increase mass transit use and incentivize transit-oriented development
*Improve air traffic management to shorten flight times
*Reduce tractor trailer fuel needs by improving aerodynamics, logistics, and idling
Invest in Energy Efficiency and American Jobs
*Update efficiency standards for appliances and small engines
*Invest in math and science education for the next generation of energy engineers
*Ensure access to worker training and retraining in advanced energy technologies
*Leverage trade relationships to maintain competitiveness of energy-intensive U.S. manufacturers
One big missing piece here is any mention of nuclear, which I think should be at least a piece of the puzzle.
nyc.theoildrum.com |
