Press Release

HISTORIC ENERGY LEGISLATION SENT TO PRESIDENT

Washington, DC -- U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) voted today to establish a sound national energy policy for the twenty-first century, including provisions to lower energy costs, make cars and trucks more fuel efficient, and create new “green collar” jobs. 

“Today marks a historic turning point in our nation’s history – the beginning of a new energy policy for America,” Arcuri said. “The benefits of this new energy policy are two-fold: making America more energy independent and allowing middle class families to keep more of their hard-earned money.  It’s simple – by consuming less gasoline, utilizing more efficient technologies, and investing in alternative sources of energy – we reduce our dependence on foreign nations to fuel the economy and we as Americans get back in the driver’s seat.”

The legislation, the Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6), takes landmark steps to improve vehicle fuel efficiency by increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, foster American-produced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, and strengthen energy efficiency for a wide range of products, appliances, and building codes to reduce energy costs to consumers across the country.

The legislation contains the first improvement in the CAFE standards passed by Congress since 1975, increasing vehicle fuel efficiency to 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020 for new cars and trucks.  The new CAFE standards will save American families $700 to $1000 per year in fuel costs,  reduce oil consumption by 1.1 million gallons per day in the year 2020, and reduce greenhouse gases by roughly the same amount as taking 28 million cars and trucks off the road today. 

H.R. 6 also includes energy efficiency provisions that would save consumers and businesses hundreds of billions of dollars through the year 2030 by requiring that new household appliances be more energy efficient. 

In addition to making sure families keep more of their hard-earned money by reducing energy costs, this historic legislation invests in new “green collar” jobs through incentives and initiatives for American produced renewable energy.

H.R. 6 creates an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to train a quality workforce for “green collar” jobs -- such as solar panel manufacturer and green building construction worker -- created by federal renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. This program will provide training opportunities to our veterans, to those displaced by national energy and environmental policy and economic globalization, to individuals seeking pathways out of poverty, to at-risk youth and to those workers in the energy field needing to continue expanding their skills. A major national investment in renewable energy could create 3 million “green collar” jobs.

Finally, the legislation increases loan limits to help small businesses develop energy efficient technologies and purchases and provides information to small businesses on how to reduce energy costs.

“Just last week, I attended ground-breaking ceremonies right here in Upstate New York for a wood pellet production facility and a cellulosic ethanol plant,” Arcuri said. “The new national energy policy we passed today will allow for further growth of the budding green economy in our region by investing in alternative energy production. I have and will continue to do my part to promote innovative partnerships to strengthen the Upstate economy.”

H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and Security Act, passed the House of Representatives today. The legislation now goes to the President who is expected to sign it into law later this week.

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