As oil prices near the $100-per-barrel milestone and gas prices continue to increase, the importance of a solid energy bill has became even more apparent. As we head toward Thanksgiving, it’s time for Congress to give us an energy bill we can all be thankful for. The high energy costs American families are facing could be the Grinch that steals Christmas. Gas is back over $3 a gallon again, with some analysts saying it could be on track to hit $4 as driving picks up again in the spring. Home heating oil prices have already risen to record highs well before winter’s coldest weather—and peak demand—has even set in. We can literally no longer afford our failed energy policies. While nothing will lower energy costs overnight, Congress can act now to pass an energy bill that puts us on the path toward a clean energy future and helps us shake our dangerous and costly addiction to oil. In a historic shift this summer, Congress stared putting pieces into place to achieve three important goals: keep the economy growing, create jobs and meet the challenge of global warming. Congress can realize this vision by passing a comprehensive energy bill that flips the switch and brings America’s new energy future to life. The Senate’s version of the bill would increase fuel economy standards for our cars, trucks, and SUVs to 35 miles per gallon by 2020—the first increase in more than 30 years. By requiring the efficiency Americans want, these standards will help the American automakers rebound against their foreign competitors. This provision has the potential to create 22,000 jobs in the auto industry alone--178,000 new jobs total, according to a recent analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists. UCS also found that the Senate’s fuel economy provision would save consumers $25 billion at the pump by 2020. As the Washington Post noted on November 5th, one reason that the economy hasn’t suffered even more under the crushing weight of high oil prices is the strides we have made since the energy crisis in the 1970s to use energy more efficiently. If we hadn’t doubled fuel economy standards from 1975-1985, we’d be in far worse shape today. Raising them now will help us break our addiction to oil and put us on track toward a cleaner environment, more secure economy, and stable climate. The Senate’s increase in fuel economy standards will help make us more energy independent by saving us 1.2 million barrels of oil a day. To put that into perspective, bad weather in Mexico recently shut off just 200,000 barrels of production and the price of oil shot up several dollars. While the Senate bill included increases in fuel economy, the House version requires that 15 percent of our electricity come from renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass by the year 2020. Establishing a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) will help fight global warming and spark economic growth and jobs creation by flipping the switch on the clean energy economy. It will also create tens of thousands of new jobs. States like Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Iowa that have passed an RES are already seeing hundreds—even thousands—of new jobs created as a result. By relying more on renewables and less on fossil fuels, an RES will also help consumers and businesses save billions on their energy bills. Getting more electricity from renewable source save hardworking American families money and benefit the economy as a whole. Shifting electricity production away from expensive natural gas toward wind and solar will reduce demand for natural gas and lower energy bills at home, for companies, and even factories and farmers that depend on natural gas. In fact, the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that the RES passed by the House will save consumers up to $18 billion by 2020. Scientists around the world have agreed on the amount of pollution we need to eliminate over time in order to curb the worst effects of global warming. Combining the best elements of both these bills would get us nearly a fifth of the way to that goal, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The final energy bill should include the House’s 15% RES and the Senate’s
35 mile per gallon standard. If Congress flips the switch and lights the
way, this energy bill will take us in a new, forward-looking direction. Instead
of making the richest companies in the world even richer, this bill can be
a win for the environment, a win for the economy, and, most importantly,
a win for consumers and working Americans.
Up to Top |