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House Energy ‘Security’ Bill Lacks Energy Efficiency Measures--
Alliance Continues to Advocate for Meaningful Legislation to Help Consumers Cope with Record-High Energy Prices.
By a slim margin, the House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 3893) by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) entitled ‘Gasoline for America ’s Security Act of 2005,’ on October 7th by a vote of 212 to 210. The supply-side focused bill does little to promote energy efficiency.
Upon passage, the Alliance stated that the bill relies far too heavily on the long-term approach of increasing energy supplies, and does little to tap the vast potential of energy efficiency. The bill fails to reduce demand in the short run and thereby provides little immediate relief to Americans hard-pressed by spiraling energy costs. H.R. 3893 now moves to the Senate, where it is unlikely to pass without significant changes.
In the weeks leading up to the vote on H.R. 3893, the Alliance supported a bill introduced by Alliance Congressional Vice-Chair, Congressmen Ed Markey (D-MA) and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) to increase fuel economy standards for cars and trucks (H.R. 3762). The Markey-Boehlert bill, which would require automakers to achieve a fleet-wide corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) average of 33 miles per gallon (mpg), starting with model year 2016, would reduce the amount of oil used by cars in the U.S by 10 percent beginning in 2016. Unfortunately, an attempt to add the legislation to the energy “security” bill failed when the Rules Committee ruled all but the Democratic Substitute amendment out of order. (This amendment ultimately failed during the floor vote).
While continuing to monitor congressional action on new potential energy legislation, the Alliance continues to press for full implementation and funding of the “to-do” list of energy efficiency measures included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005). In particular, the Alliance is leading an effort to move forward the start date of the energy-efficiency tax incentives authorized in EPAct 2005. Unfortunately, the effective dates of these tax incentives are not slated to begin until the new year – deep into the winter heating season. Working with a coalition of businesses and public interest groups, the Alliance has urged Congress to act immediately to move forward the effective dates of the new tax credits for new homes, existing homes, appliances, commercial buildings and efficient vehicles from January 1, 2006 to a retroactive start date of October 1, 2005.
The Alliance also is spearheading a campaign to secure appropriations for new energy efficiency provisions authorized in EPAct 2005 in addition to our on-going efforts to increase funding for current federal efficiency programs for fiscal year 2007. The Alliance has called for funding in the emergency supplemental appropriations bills to help the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita rebuild efficiently. Specifically, we are advocating for $10 million in funding to initiate, immediately, the energy efficiency public information campaign authorized in EPAct 2005. This important program was authorized by the Congress at $90 million per year, from fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2010. Given the many demands on the federal budget, we are expecting a difficult appropriations season.
Originally published in the October 2005 edition of e-FFICIENCY News
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