Congressman Bill Shuster released the following statement after House Republicans introduced a comprehensive energy solutions plan, the “American Energy Act of 2009.”
“Times are tough and higher energy prices are the last thing my constituents need, but it’s déjà vu all over again,” Shuster said. “Gas prices are on the rise, hitting an eight month high today. Instead of acting to make energy cheaper for consumers the Democrats want to make matters worse with a huge national energy tax.”
Higher prices are exactly what Speaker Pelosi, the President and their liberal allies in Congress are planning to force on the American people by way of a massive national energy tax masquerading as a climate change bill. If their climate bill moving through Congress becomes law energy prices would, in the President’s own words, ‘necessarily skyrocket.’
Energy prices for the average Pennsylvania family will jump $3,100 a year and some estimates suggest over a million jobs would be lost as manufacturers ship their plants to countries with less stringent environmental regulations, hurting American workers and the environment. Even the liberal leaning Brookings Institution agrees that this plan will hurt our economy.
“America cannot afford the Democrats’ national energy tax. I am proud to support the American Energy Act, a Republican energy solution that offers affordable energy, more jobs here at home, and a cleaner environment without punishing consumers and energy producers,” Shuster said.
The American Energy Act is focused on investing in our vast natural domestic energy resources and safe emissions-free nuclear energy. According to the Department of Energy, the safest and most efficient way for utility companies to control carbon emissions is to increase their supply of nuclear energy. The Republican plan lays down a national goal of licensing 100 new nuclear reactors over the next twenty years by streamlining a burdensome regulatory process and ensuring the recycling and safe storage of spent nuclear fuel.
“It’s simply hypocritical that the President believes Iran can have a nuclear energy program while his administration won’t support building a new nuclear plant here at home,” Shuster said. “Nuclear energy is clean, safe and reliable and it will help build a bridge to a new domestic energy economy.”
The Republican plan would also increase domestic supply by lifting restrictions on the Arctic Coastal Plain, the Outer Continental Shelf, and oil shale in the Mountain West. Revenues generated through domestic production will support innovation in renewable and alternative energy sources, like wind and solar technologies.
“I hope Congress will reject the Democrats’ dangerous and misguided national energy tax, and consider the responsible Republican alternative,” Shuster added.
Breakdown of the American Energy Act:
Renewable Energy
The bill creates a Renewable and Alternative Energy Trust Fund to provide funding for energy programs authorized by federal law, such as biomass, hydroelectric, clean coal, solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy. The fund will encourage the development of renewable, alternative and unconventional fuels, and new energy sources, using receipts from the new federal and oil gas leasing in the Arctic Coastal Plain and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The bill encourages new and expanding energy technologies by making permanent tax credits for the production of renewable electricity, like wind, solar, and biomass. The bill also makes permanent investment tax credits for solar energy and for fuel cell properties and extends the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax credits.
Nuclear
The 104 nuclear reactors in America today provide the United States with 20 percent of its electricity and 73 percent of its CO2-free electricity, yet no new reactors have been ordered since 1978. This bill establishes a national goal to bring 100 new nuclear reactors online over the next 20 years to strengthen America’s commitment to clean, reliable energy.
Oil and Natural Gas
The bill increases the supply of American energy by immediately moving forward with a leasing program on the Outer Continental Shelf.
The bill increases American energy by opening the Arctic Coastal Plain to exploration in an environmentally-sound manner, which could provide an additional 1 million barrels of oil per day.
The bill increases American supplies of gasoline and diesel by encouraging greater refinery capacity by streamlining and accelerating the refinery permitting process.
Oil Shale
The bill codifies the oil shale lease program and restores leasing activities that were already underway prior to being halted in February 2009 by the current Administration.
