House Bill Demands 35 MPG Standard

A bipartisan group of Congressional authorities have united their voices on new energy standards according to a press release. Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), Paul Hodes (D-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Todd Platts (R-PA), Mark Udall (D-CO) and Tom Udall (D-NM) are working to make certain that a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard and renewable electricity standard are included in a final bill as part of a Congressional energy package that is to be sent to the President.

The Senate has already passed legislation that calls for an increase in fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon. The House energy bill likewise includes measures that call for increased energy efficiency. Among these measures are procedures that would require energy companies to gradually increase the amount of renewable energy they use to generate electricity each year.

In fact, 23 states have already passed a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that demands energy companies increase renewable energy. Utilities will actually receive credits under these systems that are earned by producing electricity through wind, solar power, tidal, and oceanic energy sources. These credits can then be traded or sold among utilities, or purchased by the Department of Energy. This proposed market based system of tradable renewable energy credits would promote producing electricity at the lowest possible cost.

But, what do these Congressional steps mean for you and your own pocketbook? Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) said, "Upgrading fuel economy standards is a commonsense step to decrease America's dependence on foreign oil. Increasing standards would save the average American family $2,000 per year. Additionally, a national renewable electricity standard will allow us to take advantage of the economic benefits of renewable energies."

And, the impact of the implementation of these energy measures could be huge. An analysis in 2006 by U.S. PIRG found that obtaining just 20% of our electricity from renewable energy sources would be the equivalent of taking 89 million cars off the road by 2020. Another research group, the Union of Concerned Scientists, concluded that a 20% renewable energy standard would create over 185,000 new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and related fields. And as far as money savings go, these renewable energy standards are estimated to save consumers over $10 billion dollars on their electric and natural gas bills by 2020.

"The Udall-Platts Renewable Electricity Standard amendment will create public benefits for everyone. The renewable energy goals it sets are significant, and the requirement is not overly burdensome for states as it gives them flexibility to achieve these goals. The passage of this amendment will benefit farmers, save consumers money, reduce air pollution, and increase reliability and energy security," said Rep. Mark Udall, who is co-chair of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus in the House of Representatives.

The bill is set to be reviewed by the House later this month. As consumers are paying record high prices at the pump, let's hope some kind of relief comes soon.

Sources:

PR Newswire Press Release, http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?beat=BEAT_ALL&view=LATEST&resourceid=3522040