Inslee Energy Ideas are Integral Part of "Robust, Bold" Energy and Climate Legislation
Congressional Desk
April 03, 2009
Bill is" big win for the Puget Sound region," says Executive Director of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Waxman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a draft of sweeping energy and climate legislation that included many policy proposals from U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.).
Several Inslee bills from the 110th Congress have been included in the legislation, in a reflection of the Washington Congressman´s growing influence on the energy discussions in Congress. His bills on black carbon, low-carbon fuel standards, and the creation of an output-based rebate program to address international competitiveness concerns in climate legislation were all included in the draft legislation, titled the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).
Output-based rebates for carbon allocations:
The EMPLOY Act, as introduced by Inslee and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), would give a portion of emissions credits for free to energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries to shield them from the offshoring of jobs under new climate legislation. This provision is critical for industries that are important to the Northwest economy, including aluminum, wood product processing, cement production, and metal recycling. Rep. Inslee teamed up with Representative Doyle from steel-dependent Pittsburgh work out this provision over the better part of a year. This language is not only important to protect energy-intensive industries, but it is crucial to ensure there are enough votes to pass the Waxman bill out of the House.
"Nucor Steel Seattle commends Rep. Inslee for working with domestic manufacturers to ensure that climate legislation does not send American jobs offshore," said Matt Lyons, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc."Nucor's 300 employees in Washington state would be subject to job-killing, higher energy costs without Rep. Inslee's proposal. The Inslee-Doyle provisions are essential to addressing the competitiveness problems posed by a ´cap and trade´ system for trade-sensitive, energy-intensive manufacturers."
Low-carbon fuel standard:
In 2007, Inslee was the first House member in history to introduce a national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (H.R. 2215) bill, with the goal of creating a market for sustainable, environmentally-friendly, domestically produced transportation fuels that protect the climate and reduce America´s dependence on oil. Inslee´s bill would mandate that the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity (emissions per unit of energy) of transportation fuels used in the United States be held at 2005 levels from 2014 through 2022. In 2023, fuels must have a lifecycle GHG emission 5% below 2005 levels. The reduction increases to 10% in 2030.
"This bill represents a strong step forward in redirecting our transportation sector away from carbon-intensive fuels like petroleum," said Marc Goyette, CEO of R3 Biofuels in Renton, Washington. "In doing so, it opens the door for innovative companies in Washington state to create green jobs, helping both the economy and the environment. In the agricultural sector especially, where there exists tremendous untapped potential for sustainable fuels, bold legislation like this can create the conditions under which green investment and entrepreneurism can thrive. We commend Representative Inslee for his leadership on this issue and look forward to the benefits it will bring to rural economies and to the health of our planet."
Black carbon:
Black carbon, a soot particle is the second leading contributor to global climate change after carbon dioxide and a major threat to public health. Biomass combustion from agricultural practices and wood-burning cook-stoves are the largest sources of black carbon in developing countries, while diesel emissions are the leading U.S. source. Black carbon dust settles on ice sheets like the Arctic ice cap and Himalayan glaciers, which causes large areas of the Earth´s surface to absorb rather than reflect heat and further accelerate warming trends.
"Congressman Inslee's bill addressing black carbon will not only provide immediate climate benefits, it will provide significant air quality and public health benefits from reducing air pollution," said Dennis McLerran, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency in Seattle. "The inclusion of Congressman Inslee's black carbon strategies in the House climate bill is a big win for the Puget Sound region. In the Seattle/Tacoma area, the key sources of black carbon are wood burning for heating and diesel exhaust from ships, trucks, trains and other diesel equipment. These sources present the greatest public health risks and air quality challenges in the region. Addressing wood smoke and black carbon emissions is one of the quickest ways to reduce climate impacts and at the same time will help us reduce risk from asthma attacks, heart problems and cancer risk."
Inslee hailed the "robust" draft climate legislation as a "bold step forward" in clean energy policy.
"We still need to have some further discussions – what will we do with the auction revenues, for example?" said Inslee. "How do we make sure this money gets recycled directly back to consumers? What proportion should be allocated to spurring further research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies, to exponentially speed up our progress in tackling carbon pollution? In Congress, that will all be part of the discussion in the coming weeks.
"However, we must remember our larger mandate," continued Inslee. "Right now, both our economy and our grandchildren´s futures are being harmed from the failed energy policies of the past. This must be the year for giant leaps forward in our climate and environmental policy. The time for action is now."
WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Waxman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a draft of sweeping energy and climate legislation that included many policy proposals from U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.).
Several Inslee bills from the 110th Congress have been included in the legislation, in a reflection of the Washington Congressman´s growing influence on the energy discussions in Congress. His bills on black carbon, low-carbon fuel standards, and the creation of an output-based rebate program to address international competitiveness concerns in climate legislation were all included in the draft legislation, titled the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).
Output-based rebates for carbon allocations:
The EMPLOY Act, as introduced by Inslee and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), would give a portion of emissions credits for free to energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries to shield them from the offshoring of jobs under new climate legislation. This provision is critical for industries that are important to the Northwest economy, including aluminum, wood product processing, cement production, and metal recycling. Rep. Inslee teamed up with Representative Doyle from steel-dependent Pittsburgh work out this provision over the better part of a year. This language is not only important to protect energy-intensive industries, but it is crucial to ensure there are enough votes to pass the Waxman bill out of the House.
"Nucor Steel Seattle commends Rep. Inslee for working with domestic manufacturers to ensure that climate legislation does not send American jobs offshore," said Matt Lyons, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc."Nucor's 300 employees in Washington state would be subject to job-killing, higher energy costs without Rep. Inslee's proposal. The Inslee-Doyle provisions are essential to addressing the competitiveness problems posed by a ´cap and trade´ system for trade-sensitive, energy-intensive manufacturers."
Low-carbon fuel standard:
In 2007, Inslee was the first House member in history to introduce a national Low Carbon Fuel Standard (H.R. 2215) bill, with the goal of creating a market for sustainable, environmentally-friendly, domestically produced transportation fuels that protect the climate and reduce America´s dependence on oil. Inslee´s bill would mandate that the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity (emissions per unit of energy) of transportation fuels used in the United States be held at 2005 levels from 2014 through 2022. In 2023, fuels must have a lifecycle GHG emission 5% below 2005 levels. The reduction increases to 10% in 2030.
"This bill represents a strong step forward in redirecting our transportation sector away from carbon-intensive fuels like petroleum," said Marc Goyette, CEO of R3 Biofuels in Renton, Washington. "In doing so, it opens the door for innovative companies in Washington state to create green jobs, helping both the economy and the environment. In the agricultural sector especially, where there exists tremendous untapped potential for sustainable fuels, bold legislation like this can create the conditions under which green investment and entrepreneurism can thrive. We commend Representative Inslee for his leadership on this issue and look forward to the benefits it will bring to rural economies and to the health of our planet."
Black carbon:
Black carbon, a soot particle is the second leading contributor to global climate change after carbon dioxide and a major threat to public health. Biomass combustion from agricultural practices and wood-burning cook-stoves are the largest sources of black carbon in developing countries, while diesel emissions are the leading U.S. source. Black carbon dust settles on ice sheets like the Arctic ice cap and Himalayan glaciers, which causes large areas of the Earth´s surface to absorb rather than reflect heat and further accelerate warming trends.
"Congressman Inslee's bill addressing black carbon will not only provide immediate climate benefits, it will provide significant air quality and public health benefits from reducing air pollution," said Dennis McLerran, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency in Seattle. "The inclusion of Congressman Inslee's black carbon strategies in the House climate bill is a big win for the Puget Sound region. In the Seattle/Tacoma area, the key sources of black carbon are wood burning for heating and diesel exhaust from ships, trucks, trains and other diesel equipment. These sources present the greatest public health risks and air quality challenges in the region. Addressing wood smoke and black carbon emissions is one of the quickest ways to reduce climate impacts and at the same time will help us reduce risk from asthma attacks, heart problems and cancer risk."
Inslee hailed the "robust" draft climate legislation as a "bold step forward" in clean energy policy.
"We still need to have some further discussions – what will we do with the auction revenues, for example?" said Inslee. "How do we make sure this money gets recycled directly back to consumers? What proportion should be allocated to spurring further research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies, to exponentially speed up our progress in tackling carbon pollution? In Congress, that will all be part of the discussion in the coming weeks.
"However, we must remember our larger mandate," continued Inslee. "Right now, both our economy and our grandchildren´s futures are being harmed from the failed energy policies of the past. This must be the year for giant leaps forward in our climate and environmental policy. The time for action is now."
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