U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

April 25, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


 Sen. Salazar Joins President and Congressional Leaders at Renewable Energy Summit;
Participates in Panel of Sponsors of Renewable Energy Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, United States Senator Ken Salazar participated in a panel discussion about legislative priorities concerning renewable fuels with fellow legislators at the “Renewable Fuels Summit 2006: Growing America’s Energy Security.”

The panel discussion followed a speech by President Bush who re-stated his call for the U.S. to increase its production and use of renewable fuels. Sen. Salazar’s panel, which included Reps. Jack Kingston (R-GA), Jerry Weller (R-IL) and Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), addressed how best to achieve that goal. Specifically, Sen. Salazar discussed the “Vehicle and Fuel Choices for American Security Act” (S. 2025) and stressed that his goal was not only to increase renewable fuels, but also to reduce our dependence on oil produced by nations who wish us harm.

“By making a revolutionary commitment to renewable energy, we will: reduce our dependence on foreign oil; make our energy use cleaner; and revitalize rural economies that have been withering on the vine,” Sen. Salazar said. “The biofuel refineries that are coming on line around Colorado and across the country are a testament to American ingenuity and entrepreneurship, and they’re counting on us to deliver the policies and tools that will allow them to lead our energy revolution.”

Senator Salazar has been working with a bipartisan group of Senators, and Representative Jack Kingston and others in the House, to build momentum for S. 2025. That bill features three main components: setting goals for reducing national oil consumption, creating market-based tax credits and R&D funding to encourage producers and consumers of fuel-efficient vehicles, and expanding the renewable fuels infrastructure.

If implemented, the Vehicle and Fuel Choices Act would help the United States save 2.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2016 and 10 million barrels per day by 2031.

Sen. Salazar added, “These are simple, sensible things we can do to get more biofuels on the market and to give the American consumer more choices of efficient vehicles. The bipartisan support S.2025 enjoys shows how common sense these ideas are. We should get them out the door as soon as possible.”

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