Feature story - December 7, 2007
The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. While this bill is far from perfect, it is a positive first step towards policies that will combat global warming.
The new energy legislation includes an increase in fuel economy standards for vehicles that would boost fuel economy to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. This is the first such increase in over three decades.
The legislation also implements a federal renewable electricity standard that will cut global warming pollution, reduce American dependence on oil and result in savings to consumers.
The bill also requires utilities to generate at least 15 percent of their electricity using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power by 2020 and provides important tax incentives for renewable energy.
The bill falls short by providing tax breaks for carbon capture and storage technology. In addition, the biofuels production provision lacks necessary environmental safeguards and a mandate to protect air quality.
Now the onus is on the U.S. Senate to pass the House energy bill without weakening it, we could see a vote in the Senate as soon as next Tuesday.
The United States, as the world's largest polluter, has little time to reduce global warming pollution to avoid the most catastrophic impacts. We look to Congress and the White House to enact strong legislation and build the clean energy future that is long overdue in the U.S.