PennEnvironment Applauds Sen. Casey
for Support of a New Energy Future
Last night, the U.S. Senate passed an energy bill that, if enacted,
represents the first time in more than thirty years that Congress has
acted to increase fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks.
“After more than thirty years, Congress has finally acted to reduce our
dangerous oil addiction,” said Nathan Willcox, Energy & Clean Air
Advocate for PennEnvironment. “Making cars go farther on a gallon of
gas through higher fuel efficiency standards will cut global warming
pollution and save Pennsylvanians money at the gas pump.”
The bill will increase fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon
fleetwide by 2020, which will save 1.1 million barrels of oil per day
and save consumers $22 billion in 2020. By 2030, these standards will
reduce annual global warming emissions by 424 million metric tons a
year, the equivalent of taking 77 million of today’s cars off the
road.
While PennEnvironment called last night’s vote a “huge victory for
Pennsylvania’s environment,” the group also pointed out that the
victory should have been even bigger. The threat of a veto by
President Bush and a filibuster by Senate Republicans—including
Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter—led Senate leaders to drop a renewable
electricity standard (RES) from the bill that would have required
utilities to generate 15% of their electricity from renewable energy or
through energy efficiency savings by 2020. Senate leaders were also
forced to drop a package of tax credits that would have shifted
billions of dollars from the oil industry to clean, renewable energy
sources such as wind and solar power. Sen. Specter’s opposition was
one reason why Senate leaders had to weaken the energy bill to win
passage, while Sen. Bob Casey supported the stronger versions of the
bill.
“We applaud Sen. Casey and Sen. Specter for voting for this important
bill,” said Willcox. “However, we remain disappointed that Sen. Specter
opposed earlier versions of the bill that would have boosted production
of clean, renewable energy. We urge Sen. Specter to join Sen. Casey in
supporting swift action to complete the job and move America to a new
energy future.”
The Senate bill also contains beneficial reforms to Department of
Energy's (DOE) authority to issue energy efficiency standards for
appliance and equipment products, and establishes new efficiency
standards for products such as light bulbs, dishwashers and clothes
washers. The lighting standard alone would reduce global warming
pollution by 100 million metric tons in 2030 relative to DOE
projections. The bill also will save taxpayers money by increasing
efficiency in federal government buildings.
Despite expressing early opposition to some aspects of the fuel
efficiency provision, President Bush issued a statement last night
indicating that he would sign the Senate bill if it made it to his
desk. PennEnvironment’s Willcox called on the President to keep that
pledge.
“The President called for an increase in fuel efficiency standards in
his 2007 State of the Union address and Congress is going to deliver it
to him,” said Willcox. “The White House should recognize the
overwhelming public support for this common-sense clean energy
solution, and sign this bill into law.”
