On March 31, 2009, a new clean energy and climate bill was unveiled by the Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives. At the same time, a new Annual Energy Outlook report was officially released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Both developments seem to be indicative of a national shift towards a new energy policy and new environmental attitudes. The Sierra Club, a major grassroots environmentalist organization, confidently welcomed these new developments.
Congress Presented with Draft Clean Energy Bill
Representatives Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, chairman of the Energy and Environment subcommittee were directly responsible for introducing the bill. The bill is designed to address a majority of the issues that are of grave concern for the Obama administration and American environmentalists.
Overall, it would require a cut in carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and by 85 percent by 2050; and would also establish a cap-and-trade system to push utilities and industry leaders to meet those goals. Furthermore, it would create a renewable energy standard that requires wind, solar, and other renewable sources to meet 25 percent of US energy needs by 2025. It would also create an energy efficiency resource standard that requires utilities to achieve a savings of 15 percent for electricity and 10 percent for natural gas by 2020.
Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director, issued a statement where he commented that: “We look forward to working with them [Markey and Waxman] and other members of the Energy & Commerce Committee in order to flesh out the remaining details and move the strongest possible bill to the House floor…Passing a comprehensive clean energy bill that holds polluters accountable for their global warming pollution will fuel innovation, revitalize our economy with millions of new green jobs, and move America toward energy independence”.
Coal Use Questioned in Annual Energy Outlook Report
The new Annual Energy Outlook report confirms that the EIA has found it unnecessary for the United States to invest in or build new coal burning energy plants. If there are no further developments in clean energy production, or policy changes at the national level, the United States would still only need two new coal plants to meet its future energy needs. Under those unlikely circumstances, one plant would need to be built in 2013, and the other in 2025.
Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club’s "Beyond Coal" campaign, responded to the report by saying that: “The data clearly shows that we don’t need to be investing billions in dirty new coal plants…In fact the data indicates that if we invest in clean energy, we can begin the process of retiring the oldest and dirtiest coal plants that are the most harmful to our health”. Mark Kresowik, Corporate Accountability Representative for the "Beyond Coal" campaign, further added that: “This is more evidence for investors that the future for coal is weak, especially when compared with the growth outlook for renewable energies like wind and solar”.
New Perspectives for Future Energy Policy
Most analysts agree that the status quo of energy production within the United States is unsustainable. After years of official denial and a lack of political will, it appears that national policy makers have reached the same conclusion. However, some observers are worried about the expediency with which new policies could be implemented; or if these new environmental attitudes will be mirrored at both the state and local levels.
Phillip Barea - Phillip is a freelance writer and his work is mainly focused on issues in international law and international affairs. His academic ...
