Handful of Senators Block Clean Energy Vote

Statement by Marchant Wentworth, Washington Represetnative for UCS's Clean Energy Program

WASHINGTON (June 21, 2007)—A handful of senators blocked a vote on a national renewable electricity standard last night, but the House of Representatives will consider a similar standard as early as next week.

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The standard killed last night would have required utilities to produce 15 percent of their electricity from clean, renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass by 2022.

Because the Senate has invoked cloture on the Energy Bill, lawmakers cannot introduce an amendment to create a renewable electricity standard because it would not be germane to the base bill.

Below is a statement by Marchant Wentworth, Washington representative for the Clean Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists:

"Despite majority support in the Senate, a small group of senators mugged the latest effort to pass a national renewable electricity standard. They didn't take a vote, there's no record of who actually killed the initiative, so there is no accountability to the American people - who overwhelmingly support a strong standard.

"Fortunately, similar legislation in the House could create a strong market for renewable energy and deliver new high-paying jobs, consumer savings on electricity bills, and income for rural communities. A renewable electricity standard would help establish the clean energy alternatives we need in the fight against global warming. A bill [HR 969] calling for 20 percent renewable electricity by 2020, proposed by Representative Mark Udall, has 117 cosponsors and support for it continues to grow. We have the best chance we've ever seen for getting a renewable standard through the House.

"Already, 23 states and the District of Columbia have renewable energy standards up and running. The whole country deserves the same benefits."

Source: UCS