Washington, D.C. – The Energy Policy Act of 2003 creates jobs across all sectors of the economy, from construction to research, Senate Energy Chairman Pete Domenici said today. The legislation ensures clean, affordable and abundant energy from diverse sources. This stimulates the economy, invites business expansion and supports manufacturing efforts. Chairman Domenici’s statement: “This bill creates high-paying jobs in construction, transportation, mining, engineering and research, to name just a few sectors. Developing more oil and gas in the deep waters of the Outer Continental Shelf and streamlining the permitting process in the interior creates jobs. Facilitating the construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline will create 38,000 direct jobs and 80,000 indirect jobs. Economists estimate the pipeline will create 400,000 jobs throughout the lower 48 states when the gas begins to flow. “We are investing $2 billion in clean coal technology, ensuring a vibrant future of clean, affordable coal for the coal industry. That creates mining jobs, railroad jobs and manufacturing jobs. “Our Indian energy title will allow hundreds of Indian tribes to develop their own energy resources. This will turn around the dismal economies on many reservations. “Increasing America’s investment in nuclear energy creates skilled, high-paying jobs. Building just one nuclear plant would create between 2,000 and 3,000 construction jobs. Running a plant would create another 1,500 jobs. “Our renewable energy provisions create jobs. Right now, 20 biomass plants from New York to California have been idled. Our biomass provision alone would put 1,000 people back to work in those 20 plants. “We are sharply increasing our investment into the research and development of new energies. We are moving toward a hydrogen-based economy. We are working to develop a hydrogen car. This creates science jobs, research jobs and, ultimately, manufacturing jobs – clean, skilled, high-paying manufacturing jobs. “Creating clean, affordable and abundant energy keeps manufacturing plants here that would otherwise be built overseas. Our manufacturing sector has lost 2.2 million jobs in the last 33 months. Economists blame high energy prices for some of that. If we lower energy prices, we invigorate the manufacturing sector. “The Energy Policy Act of 2003 isn’t just an energy bill, it’s a jobs bill. It creates high-paying, skilled, American jobs by developing clean and affordable American energy here at home. ###