Chairman Bingaman today welcomed a letter from a large, diverse group of supporters who are urging Congress to pass a national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) this year.  It was signed by nearly 200 corporations, trade associations, unions, faith-based organizations and environmental groups, including big names such as GE, Google, the United Steelworkers, Union of Concerned Scientists, BP America, Sierra Club, and many others.

 

An RPS, already law in 22 states and D.C., requires utilities to supply a specific percentage of electricity from renewable sources  of energy such as wind, solar, biomass and geothermal.  Sen. Bingaman is a long-time champion for renewable energy and RPS is a signature issue for him.

 

Bingaman plans to offer an RPS amendment when the Senate takes up energy legislation in June.  His plan would create a renewables standard of 15 percent by 2020.  Sen. Bingaman believes that whenever Congress can do something that achieves important environmental goals, energy security goals and energy diversification goals, while also generating substantial economic benefits for our nation, it should.  Here’s the letter:

 

 

The Honorable Harry Reid                              The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Majority Leader                                               Minority Leader

United States Senate                                        United States Senate

 

The Honorable Jeff Bingaman                         The Honorable Pete V. Domenici

Chairman                                                          Ranking Member

Energy & Natural Resources Committee         Energy & Natural Resources Committee

               

           

Dear Senators Reid, McConnell, Bingaman and Domenici:

 

As a diverse group of corporations, manufacturers, electric utilities, renewable energy developers, labor organizations, farm groups, faith-based organizations and environmental advocates, we are writing to urge the Senate to include a national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) in energy security legislation that may soon be considered by Congress.  An RPS is an essential component of a broader national energy strategy, because it will help the nation to take full advantage of the abundant domestic renewable resources available for the generation of electricity.

 

An RPS is a market-based mechanism that requires electric utilities to include a specific percentage of clean, renewable energy in their generation portfolios, or to purchase renewable energy credits from others.  By substantially increasing renewable electricity generation, the RPS would enhance national energy security by diversifying our sources of electric generation.  At a time when the United States is increasing energy imports, an RPS would make America more energy self-reliant.  The reduction in the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity would also limit fuel price volatility, which is important to both industry and consumers.  In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s own Energy Information Administration has found in several studies that an RPS would actually cause natural gas prices to decline.

 

Increasing the market share for renewable energy resources would also have substantial environmental benefits.  An RPS is one of the most important and readily available approaches to reducing greenhouse gases from the electricity generation sector.  In addition, an RPS also would help reduce conventional pollutants including nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions.

 

Moreover, a national RPS will produce substantial economic benefits.  The additional investment in renewable electric generation would create hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs.  In addition, because many renewable resources are located in remote areas, rural America will experience a substantial economic boost.    

 

We believe the time has come for Congress to move quickly to enact national RPS legislation.  The costs of inaction for our environment, national security and economy are too high.  Although more than 20 states have adopted individual RPS programs, the country will not realize the full potential for renewable electricity without the adoption of a Federal program to enhance the states’ efforts.

 

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

GE                                                                             Google

BP America, Inc.                                                       United Steelworkers

National Venture Capital Association                         Edison International

Miasole                                                                     Pacific Gas & Electric

Wisconsin Power and Light                                       Union for Reform Judaism

National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA    GT Solar

Technet                                                                      PPM Energy, Inc.

APX, Inc.                                                                   Avista Utilities

Alliant Energy                                                            Horizon Wind Energy

Sempra Energy                                                           Enel NA

Shell Wind Energy, Inc.                                               D.H. Blattner and Sons

Solar Turbines, Inc.                                                    Applied Materials, Inc.

Business Council for Sustainable Energy                     Greene Engineers

Alliant Energy                                                             Oregon Steel Mills

Invenergy LLC                                                            LM Glasfiber ND, Inc.

Owens Corning Composites System Business              Noble Environmental Power

Leeco Steel                                                                  enXco

Clipper Wind Power, Inc.                                            Interstate Power and Light

National Audobon Society                                           Physicians for Social Responsibility

American Wind Energy Association                             McNiff Light Industry

Blue Green Alliance                                                     Citizen’s Utility Board

Big Crane & Rigging Company                                    Great Southwestern Construction

Iberdrola U.S.A.                                                          RES America

Natural Resources Defense Council                              JPW Riggers

DMI Industries                                                             AES Wind Generation

Union of Concerned Scientists                                      Suzlon Wind Energy

Lake Superior Warehousing                                          U.S. PIRG

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union                                   University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Campaign                      Atlantic Testing Laboratories    

Interfaith Power & Light                                               National Environmental Trust

Environmental Law and Policy Center                           AWS Truewind

Western Organization of Resource Council                    Big Stone Wind

ATS Wind Energy Services                                          CAB, Inc.

BioResource Consultants                                              Bluewater Wind

Bosch Rexroth Corporation                                          BQ Energy

Castle & Cooke Resorts                                               Competitive Power Ventures

Chermac Energy Corporation                                       Chinook Wind

Dominion Energy                                                          EcoEnergy LLC          

EFormative Options                                                      Electric Power Engineers         

Energy Unlimited                                                          Enerpro                       

Enertech                                                                       FAW Foundry                                     

Environmental Stewardship & Planning                          Foresight Wind Energy

Eurus Energy America                                                  Excellent Energy Solutions

FPC Services                                                               General Compression

Generation Energy                                                        Hopwood

Green Energy Technologies                                           Greenwing Energy

GroWind I                                                                    Hailo

Highland New Wind Development                                HMH Energy Resources

Knight & Carver                                                           Pandion Systems

LAPP Resources                                                          ReEnergy

Louis J. Manfredi Consulting                                         Tamarack Energy

Mackinaw Power                                                         Mariah Power

Mizuho Corporate Bank                                               Molded Fiber Glass Companies

Nordex USA                                                                Oak Creek Energy Systems

Old Mill Power Company                                             Sierra Club

Otech Engineering                                                         Padoma Wind Power

Phoenix Contact                                                           Project Resources

Renewable Energy Consulting Services                         RSMR Global Resources

San Gorgonio Farms                                                     Signal Wind Energy

SIPCO (MLS Electrosystem)                                       Sustainable Energy Strategies

TCI Renewables Limited                                              The Conti Group

Tideland Signal                                                             TMA, Inc.

Trinity Structural Towers                                               Oregon Rural Action

Varelube Systems                                                         Venti Energy

Wind Capital Group                                                     Wind Turbine Tools

Wind Utility Consulting                                                 Windland

WindLogics                                                                  WindRose Power

Windsmith                                                                    Winergy Drive Systems

PowerWorks                                                                Winergy Power

Appropriate Energy                                                      Cabazon Wind Energy

Castaic Clay Products                                                  Zephyr Lake Energies

Cannon Power                                                             Hodge Foundry

TOWER Logistics                                                        Commonwealth Capital Group

Energy Development and Construction Corp.                Mankato Area Environmentalists

Institute for Environmental Research and Education       Clean Wisconsin

RENEW Wisconsin                                                      Missourians for Safe Energy                 

Fallon County Disaster & Emergency Services              Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative

Stevens County (KS) Economic Development               OverSight Resources

Dakota Resource Council                                             Kansas Rural Center                            

Montana Department of Environmental Quality              Chesapeake Climate Action Network

West Wind Wires                                                         Greenpeace

Interwest Energy Alliance                                              Southern Alliance for Clean Energy

Concord Energy Policy Group                                      Clean Power Now

Renewable Northwest Project                                      RMT/WindConnect

Friends Committee on National Legislation                    The Land Institute

American Lung Association of the Central States           Western Colorado Congress

Tompkins Renewable Energy Education Alliance           Idaho Rural Council

Alaska Wilderness League                                            Clean Water Action

1000 Friends of Wisconsin                                           Coulee Progressives                

Citizens Campaign for the Environment                          League of Conservation Voters

Grassroots Citizens of Wisconsin                                  Penn Future

NH Sustainable Energy Association                              REACH for Tomorrow

Southwest Wisconsin Progressives                                The Minster Machine Company

 

 

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